HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc held talks with United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres in New York on Tuesday (US time), during which the Vietnamese leader highlighted the ties with the global organisation. 

Việt Nam considers the ties with UN as a top priority in its foreign policy, the PM stressed, affirming as a responsible member of the UN, the country has made contributions to the UN’s common work, including Việt Nam’s fulfillment of its term as a member of the Human Right Council, assumption of the role as a member of the Economic and Social Council and UNESCO executive board and candidacy for the non-permanent membership at the UN Security Council for 2020-21. 
He proposed the UN to increase its support for Việt Nam in implementing the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development, Paris agreement on climate change and Sendai framework on disaster risk reduction. 
Việt Nam has decided to be among 10 leading countries carrying out the UN initiative on El Nino and La Nina response, he said. 
Secretary General Guterres highly valued Việt Nam’s recent socio-economic achievements, especially millennium goals, hoping the Southeast Asian nation to succeed in implementing sustainable development goals. 
He acknowledged Việt Nam’s contributions to UN mechanisms as well as participation in UN peacekeeping forces, while affirming the UN will promote co-operation with Việt Nam through the implementation of the one strategic plan for 2017-21. 
Discussing regional and international issues, PM Phúc briefed Secretary General Guterres on recent development in the East Sea and asked the UN chief to support and speed up the settlement of disputes in the waters by peaceful measures on the basis of international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), full respect for diplomatic and legal process and early finalisation of the Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC). 
The UN chief took note Việt Nam’s proposals and emphasised the role of preventive diplomacy, settlement of disputes via peaceful measures based on respecting international law. 
On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Việt Nam-UN ties, PM Phúc invited Secretary General Guterres to visit Việt Nam this year. The UN chief thanked and hoped to visit the country in an appropriate time. 
The same day, the PM attended the celebrations of the 40th anniversary of Việt Nam’s UN membership in the presence of UN Secretary General Guterres, President of the UN General Assembly Peter Thomson, UN senior officials, and ambassadors and head of missions to the UN. 
Addressing the event, the PM recalled the time when the Vietnamese flag was raising at the UN headquarters 40 years ago, that marked the international community’s recognition of Việt Nam of independence, freedom and unification. 
The Vietnamese people always keep in their mind on valuable support of the UN and international community in the post-war national reconstruction and development. 
Việt Nam attaches importance to co-operation with the UN, he affirmed, saying that in the current global situation, it is necessary to promote the UN’s role, especially in the maintenance of peace and security and settlement of conflicts and disputes on the basis of respecting the UN Charter and international law. 
He affirmed Việt Nam will increase its participation in peacekeeping operations as well as its effort to realise the UN initiative on one plan in Việt Nam to a new stage of development. 
The PM took this opportunity to call for countries’ support for Việt Nam’s bid for the non-permanent membership at the UN Security Council for 2020-21, while stressing the country’s commitment to making contributions to implementing the UN’s noble missions. 
The UN Secretary General and UN General Assembly President congratulated Việt Nam on its achievements over the past four decades, and acknowledged the country’s contributions to the UN’s work. 
Later the day, the PM and his entourage left New York for Washington. — VNS