Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh has affirmed Viet Nam's support for disarmament, particularly of nuclear weapons.
NEW YORK —
While co-chairing the Conference on Facilitating the Entry into Force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) in New York on Friday, Minh said: "Viet Nam has been trying its best to contribute to international efforts towards such noble goals and has acceded to all major related international treaties.
"It is our hope that the CTBT, once brought into force, will significantly strengthen our existing mechanisms in our striving for a nuclear-free world."
Minh said Viet Nam was among the first to sign the CTBT in 1996 and again in 2006.
Since then, Vietnamese leaders had made continued efforts to prepare for the implementation of CTBT, he said.
"Together with fellow members of ASEAN, Viet Nam is working hard to promote the Treaty on Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapons Free Zone," he added. He urged other countries, especially those who had nuclear weapons, to sign the protocol.
On the sidelines of the 66th meeting of the United Nations General Assembly, Minh met with his counterparts from Cuba, Argentina, Costa Rica, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria and Kurogustan.
Minh and his Costa Rican counterpart Enrique Castillo also signed a memorandum of understanding on co-operation between the two foreign ministries.
At a meeting with Carol Bellamy, executive director of UNICEF, Minh thanked the organisation for its help and said he hoped it would continue to support the Joint Co-operation Programme for the 2012-2016 period. — VNS