Mr. President,

  On behalf of the Delegation of Viet Nam, I wish to express our sincere thanks to you and the Mexican presidency for taking the initiative of holding this Open Debate of the Security Council on the important topic of mediation and settlement of disputes. I thank Under Secretary General Lyn Pasco for his informative briefing. We align ourselves with the statement to be delivered by Cuba on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement.

Mr. President,

The fact that it is enshrined in the Charter testifies to the importance the United Nations attaches to peaceful settlement of disputes and conflicts, including through mediation. The increase in the number of conflicts and their negative impact on international peace, security and development together with the rise in UN budget for peacekeeping makes conflict prevention and resolution through mediation and the role of the United Nations in this connection more necessary and urgent than ever. We welcome the publication of the Secretary-General ‘s report on mediation which we believe will constitute a major step forward in promoting mediation as an effective tool in resolving  disputes and conflicts. The United Nations Mediation Support Unit (MSU) had, by late 2008, supported 18 peace processes in the world and within a short period since its establishment in 2006, the MSU has become a very important tool for supporting the good offices and mediation efforts conducted not only by the United Nations but also by regional organizations. These manifest a more and more prominent role the United Nations is assuming in mediation activities. Reaffirming our support for mediation activities by the United Nations, we are of the view that for their effectiveness, the following principles must be observed:

-  Firstly, for their in-depth knowledge and understanding of the parties concerned to the disputes and conflicts taking place in their own regions, including those parties’ interests and demands - both legitimate and illegitimate or controversial - which put them in better position to accurately analyze the situation and come up with objective and realistic proposals that may bring the sides together, regional and sub-regional organizations and personalities should be allowed and encouraged to participate and contribute. We share the Secretary-General‘s observation that more attention should be paid to national and local capacity building with a view to enhancing local actors’  mediating skills and ability. We commend the assistance extended by the UN Mediation Support Unit to the AU, the SADC, the ECCAS and the EU in strengthening their mediation capacities. The UN‘s two-year work plan with the AU to build the latter‘s mediation capacity is an exemplary model for such cooperation which should be further enhanced;

         - Secondly, coordination between the UN and regional and sub-regional organization in mediation activities should be ensured with a view to  both enhancing effectiveness and  avoiding unnecessary duplication, waste of resources or unhealthy competition or rivalry which may negate each other’s role and thus  hamper the common search for solutions to the disputes and conflicts. The history of mediating recent disputes and conflicts in all major continents from Africa to Asia, America and Europe further prove that whenever such coordination exists  success is  achieved, and vice-versa;

         - Thirdly, mediation efforts should focus on addressing the root causes of the conflicts with due attention paid to the need to help the country or countries concerned  overcome the conditions of absolute poverty and the lack of socio-economic development which rank high among those root causes of disputes and conflicts. This, in the view of my Delegation, helps not only find appropriate solution for each specific dispute or conflict, but also avoid its hasty dramatization which may lead to unnecessary application of measures of last resort, such as those invoked under Chapter VII of the Charter that many UN Member States have pointed to as cause of concern;

        - Last, but not least, mediation as a means of peacefully settling disputes must be in conformity with the fundamental principles of objectivity, fairness, respect for national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity and equality in international relations.

        

Mr. President,

As the highest organ of the UN entrusted with the primary responsibility of maintaining international peace and security, the Security Council has a vital role in promoting the peaceful settlement of disputes and conflicts, including and especially by means of mediation. The Security Council ‘s active engagement such as its endorsement of mediators and support for the Secretary-General in dispatching his envoys and mediators to help resolve disputes and conflicts, has highlighted the increasing importance the Council attaches to mediation activities. Viet Nam strongly supports the consolidation of cooperation and coordination between the Security Council and the Secretary-General, the Secretariat and UN Missions in carrying out mediation activities to peacefully resolve disputes and conflicts. At the same time, we hold that to preserve its integrity and ensure it enjoys the necessary acceptance and support for its activities, the Security Council should avoid unjustified and counter-productive involvement in the work which falls under the purview of the mandates of other UN organs as defined in the Charter.

 

I thank you, Mr. President!