Vietnam will continue to fully implement the provisions of the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) as regard to its maritime zones and settlement of disputes therein, and calls on other states to do likewise.

The statement was made by Nguyen Thi Thanh Ha, head of the Vietnamese delegation to the 22nd Meeting of States Parties to the 1982 UNCLOS in New York on June 8, which also included a celebration of 30 years of the adoption of the Convention.

Vietnam firmly believes that the observance of the UNCLOS by all States Parties in the East Sea will be fundamental to maintain an environment of peace, security and friendly cooperation for the coastal states as well as other users of the East Sea, she stressed.

Vietnam signed the Convention on the very first day it was open for signature, Ha said, adding that after the country ratified the Convention in 1994, it has made great efforts to transform the rights and obligations provided for in the Convention into national legislation.

She went on to say that in compliance with the provisions of the Convention, Vietnam has established its territorial seas, contiguous zone, exclusive economic zone and continental shelf in the East Sea and carried out activities of exploration, exploitation and conservation of the sea and its natural resources for national economic development.

Like many other countries, the maritime areas under national sovereignty and jurisdiction are of vital security and economic interests for Vietnam, she affirmed.

She took this opportunity to call on the non-States Parties to consider joining the UNCLOS to make it even more universally recognised and implemented.

Ha underlined that States Parties to the Convention are obliged to fully implement the UNCLOS in good faith and a responsible manner, to respect the legitimate rights entitled to coastal States Parties in their territorial seas, contiguous zone, exclusive economic zone and continental shelf under the Convention, to cooperate for the development of marine scientific research, the optimum exploitation of living resources, the conservation of the marine environment, and to manage the international seabed in the interests of the mankind.

At the celebration, many countries described the 1982 UNCLOS as one of the most important multi-lateral international commitments in the 20th century, with 162 member states. They said the convention created a comprehensive and fair international legal order for all activities at seas and oceans, helping maintain peace, stability and economic development in the world.

Source: VOV