Spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang answers questions from the media (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – The Vietnam-EUFree Trade Agreement is an important deal which brings many benefits to thepeople as well as the business community of Vietnam and the EU, therefore thetwo sides are making efforts to complete procedures for the official signing, ratificationand enforcement of the agreement, said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Le Thi ThuHang.
She made the statement at theForeign Ministry’s regular press briefing on January 24, in reply to a questionabout the progress of the EVFTA.
Asked about the dialoguesession on Vietnam’snational report under the third-cycle Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva, Switzerland,on January 22, the spokesperson said Vietnamattaches special importance to and seriously conducts the UPR, which is asuccessful mechanism of the HRC based on the principles of equality, dialogueand cooperation. She described the mechanism as both an obligation of a member state of the UN as well as anopportunity to introduce the country’s consistent policies, efforts andachievements in protecting human rights.
According to the spokesperson, mostopinions at the dialogue session acknowledged Vietnam’s achievements andencouraged the country to continue its efforts to ensure human rights,especially in economic, social, cultural affairs, hunger elimination andpoverty reduction, and ensuring socialsecurity and the rights of vulnerable groups such as women, children, personswith disabilities and ethnic minority people. The opinions also welcomed andappreciated Vietnam’sserious implementation of accepted UPR recommendations at the second cycle aswell as building of the UPR report for the third cycle.
Hang said Vietnamreceived more than 300 recommendations from countries at the dialogue, whichcover various aspects of human rights. She informed that relevant agencies of Vietnam willstudy carefully the recommendations and report to the Prime Minister. Vietnam willofficially announce accepted recommendations at the regular session of the HRCin June this year, she said. -VNA
