Spokeswoman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Lê Thị Thu Hằng. — VNA/VNS Photo Văn Điệp

HÀ NỘI — Given recent tensions in the Middle East, Việt Nam’s representative agencies in the region and domestic relevant parties are ready to take citizen protection measures when necessary, said Spokeswoman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Lê Thị Thu Hằng.

At a ministry press conference on Thursday, responding to a question about Việt Nam’s comment on recent US-Iran tensions, Hằng stated: “Việt Nam is concerned about the recent tensions in the Middle East. We call on all relevant parties to exercise self-restraint, avoid escalating tensions, not use force, protect civilians, and resolve disagreements though dialogue and peaceful measures on the basis of respecting international law for the sake of peace, stability in the region and the world.”

She added that the Foreign Ministry on Wednesday advised Vietnamese against going to the region’s countries that could be affected by conflict. It also recommended that citizens in the affected countries avoid going to dangerous areas in those countries and follow local authorities’ instructions to ensure their safety.

The Foreign Ministry has publicised the citizen protection hotlines of all representative agencies of Việt Nam in the region so people can contact when necessary. It has also ordered representative agencies in the Middle East and domestic relevant sides to monitor the situation and be ready to take citizen protection measures, she said.

In reply to a question about Việt Nam’s reaction to China’s testing of the Jinghong dam, Hằng said Việt Nam pays attention to, studies and assesses activities relating to the Mekong River’s water resources.

The country holds that aside from the legitimate interests in using the Mekong River’s water resources, the relevant countries also have common responsibility for using the river’s water resources in an equitable and sustainable manner, and ensuring the balanced interests of all countries the river runs through, for the sake of peace and sustainable development of the region, the spokeswoman added.

Regarding the greenhouse fire in Ramenskoye Town in the suburbs of Moscow, Russia, the spokeswoman noted the Foreign Ministry has updated information. Its Consular Department and the Vietnamese Embassy in Russia are working with authorised agencies of both countries to gather information from Việt Nam and the Vietnamese community in Russia to support the identification of victims. They are also making preparations to protect citizens and deal with relevant procedures if there are Vietnamese among the dead.

On Wednesday, the embassy sent a diplomatic note to the Russian ministries of foreign affairs and internal affairs and the internal affairs agency of Ramenskoye, asking for the investigation to be accelerated, information about the results of the identification of the dead to be announced soon, and active treatment for the Vietnamese woman currently in hospital, Hằng added. — VNS