(VOVworld) – Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung attended and delivered a keynote speech at the conference on multilateral diplomacy in the 21^st century and recommendations for Vietnam in Hanoi on Tuesday. He said multilateral diplomacy plays an increasingly important role in world political, economic and foreign affairs life and is an important part in Vietnam’s foreign and international integration policy.

The Prime Minister said Vietnam’s foreign policy including multilateral diplomacy has contributed significantly to national construction and defense. While integrating into the world, Vietnam has been aware of the important role of multilateral institutions and forums in regional and global security and development issues. He said it is crucial to define multilateral diplomacy an important part in Vietnam’s foreign and international integration policy. Multilateral institutions and forums are where Vietnam protects and promotes its security and development interests, increases its prestige, and joins hands to settle global challenges and build equal and mutually beneficial partnerships while promoting international law. These are also where Vietnam shows its willingness to become a friend, a reliable partner and a responsible member in the international community, the Prime Minister said: “In the defense of national sovereignty, particularly amid the current East Sea situation, we need to value to voice and role of multilateral institutions and forums, especially the UN, ASEAN, and the Non-aligned Movement. The support and solidarity shown at international forums for Vietnam’s just stance have helped to promote peaceful dispute settlement based on international law and codes of conduct in the region without the use of or threat to use force.”

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung proposed that the delegates seek useful measures to promote multilateral diplomacy to create a peaceful environment for Vietnam’s development in the new strategic period.

During the conference, delegates discussed major trends of multilateral diplomacy in the 21^st century, newly arising issues to the UN, multilateral institutions to maintain peace and security, multilateral cooperation to boost sustainable development, and adjusting multilateral foreign policies. Topics for discussion also included new approaches to international cooperation in security and defense.