Speakers present speeches at the conference (Photo: VNA)Vietnamese Ambassador to France Dinh Toan Thang said this event is of great significance for overseas Vietnamese, especially thoseliving in Europe, showing their affection and attachment to their homeland and their concern with major national issues.
Organised under the initiative of the Liaison Board of OverseasVietnamese in Europe, the conference received 14 speeches from scholars,professors, doctors and researchers on Asia and the East Sea, as well aseconomists and educators from European countries such as Poland, Germany,France, Italy, the Czech Republic and Ukraine, and Canada, and Vietnam.
The presentations mentioned many points of view on the EastSea and Vietnam's sovereignty over sea and islands, from the historical,cultural, political and legal perspectives. The situation in the East Sea,solutions to handle disputes, and options for marine economic development werealso discussed at the event.
History Professor Patrice Jorland, former president of theFrance-Vietnam Friendship Association, told Vietnam News Agency correspondents in Paris that Vietnam has sovereignty in theEast Sea, and historical evidence shows that the country has assertedsovereignty over Truong Sa and Hoang Sa since the end of the 18th century,under the Nguyen Dynasty.
The French professor also stressed that the parties concerned need torespect international law, and that ASEAN, of which Vietnam is an activemember, should strengthen solidarity, promote diplomatic efforts and negotiations,and avoid using force to settle disputes.
Malgorzata Pietrasiak, a professor at the University of Lodzin Poland and an expert on Vietnam, appreciated Vietnam's method of handlingissues at sea, which she called the term "Hedgingowa" (roughlytranslated as "risk prevention").
According to her, this is a wise, flexible and peaceful strategy, withouttension, but also without concession. She said this method has affirmed theeffectiveness of Vietnam's diplomacy in international politics./.
VNA
