Deputy spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Đoàn Khắc Việt addresses the Thursday regular press briefing in Hà Nội. — VNA/VNS Photo Quỳnh Anh

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam on Thursday said it is "extremely disappointed" with the inaccurate, unverified and unfair information contained in the stakeholders' submissions on Việt Nam's human rights for reviews by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).

Deputy spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Đoàn Khắc Việt, at the regular press briefing held in Hà Nội, has criticised the summary report gathering opinions from about 45 organisations with regard to the human rights situation in the fourth cycle of Việt Nam's UNHRC Universal Periodic Review.

"We are extremely disappointed that despite the full representation of UN agencies in Việt Nam and their long term and comprehensive cooperation with Vietnamese branches, ministries and agencies, the stakeholders' submissions on Việt Nam under the UNHRC Universal Periodic Review has numerous instances of unjustified information and many biased and unfair assessments that do not accurately or fully reflect the real situation, the efforts and achievements of Việt Nam pertaining to protection and promotion of human rights," Việt stressed.

The deputy spokesperson remarked that the drafting of Việt Nam's national report for UPR fourth cycle has been carried out "in a serious and comprehensive manner, having the full participation of relevant parties and the UN agencies in Việt Nam."

However, the drafting of the UN stakeholders' submissions on Việt Nam has not maintained transparency, Việt said, adding that "they are not commensurate with Việt Nam's goodwill cooperation in the development of the national report."

The summary report does not reflect the spirit or reality of cooperation between Việt Nam and the UN, and the priorities agreed on by Việt Nam and the UN development agencies, Việt said.

"We hope that the future cooperation between the UN development agencies in Việt Nam needs to be implemented in accordance with the functions and tasks of relevant agencies as well as Việt Nam's priorities and demands."

The consideration for the fourth cycle reviews for Việt Nam is scheduled to take place on May 7, 2024, at UN headquarters in New York.

Việt Nam-Vatican relations

In response to questions over the ongoing visit by the Vatican's Secretary for Relations with States and International Organisations, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, on his first ever trip to Việt Nam, the deputy spokesperson said Việt Nam-Vatican relations have witnessed positive developments as demonstrated by the maintenance of high-level engagements and progress in the negotiations of the Việt Nam-Vatican joint working group and the recent upgrade of the bilateral ties to the status of the residential papal representative in Việt Nam in July 2023.

"At the meetings with Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính and the working session with Foreign Minister Bùi Thanh Sơn, the Vatican Secretary has highly valued the multifaceted cooperation with Việt Nam, and the development and contributions of the Catholic Church in Việt Nam to our national construction and growth. Both sides have agreed to continue to maintain effective high-level exchanges and engagements and promote the role of the resident papal representative office in Việt Nam, contributing to further achievements in Việt Nam-Vatican bilateral relations," the diplomat noted. — VNS