Vietnam ready for human rights dialogue

The workshop on Vietnam’s 70-year human rights achievement is held on December 9 in Hanoi__Photo: Internet

The workshop on Vietnam’s 70-year human rights achievement is held on December 9 in Hanoi__Photo: Internet

Prompted by the requests of partners and our policy, Vietnam has agreed to hold human rights dialogues with Australia, the EU, Norway, Switzerland and the US in a constructive, open and straight manner. Besides, Vietnam is ready to talk with any organizations or individuals on enforcement of human rights in the country.

Vietnam Law | Dec 11, 2015

On the sidelines of the workshop on Vietnam’s 70-year human rights achievement, the Quan doi Nhan dan (People’s Army) daily interviews Mr. Nguyen Thanh Son, Chief of the Standing Office of the Government’s Steering Committee for Human Rights.

How will recommendations Vietnam has accepted under the second-circle Univesal Periodic Review (UPR) of the United Nations Human Rights Council be implemented in the upcoming time?

When justifying its national report on implementation of human rights in Vietnam under the second-cycle UPR of the United Nations Human Rights Council, Vietnam accepted 182 out of 227 recommendations of countries and international organizations. This acceptance rate is relatively high as compared with other countries. We have organized their implementation strictly. The Government has assigned the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to coordinate with ministries, sectors and localities in the implementation. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs had reviewed and reported these recommendations to the Prime Minister who has approved a plan on the implementation roadmap. To date, these recommendations have been implemented with progress and results as planned.

Do accepted recommendations match Vietnam’s development goals?

In general, most of the 182 recommendations are relevant to Vietnam’s goals for socio-economic development and human rights. We have the obligation and responsibility to implement these recommendations, which also helps ensure the exercise of human rights in our country.

Why has Vietnam been engaged in human rights dialogues with some partners?

Vietnam has pursued the policy on comprehensive international integration in all aspects: economy, culture, society, politics, security and defense, and human rights are not an exception. Prompted by the requests of partners and our policy, Vietnam has agreed to hold human rights dialogues with Australia, the EU, Norway, Switzerland and the US in a constructive, open and straight manner. Besides, Vietnam is ready to talk with any organizations or individuals on enforcement of human rights in the country.

Have these dialogues helped enforce and promote human rights in Vietnam?

As I have said, the spirit of these dialogues is constructive, open and straight, they are helpful for Vietnam and its partners to better understand one another. They also provide a good chance for us to make known to the world our human rights achievements. But we will also refute distorting information on human rights in Vietnam from foreign organizations and individuals that deliberately do not understand the situation of human rights in the country.-