Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son hashighlighted the significance of the Geneva Accords 70 years after its signingand valuable lessons for Vietnam's diplomatic endeavors.
In a recent interview granted to the press on the occasion, the official recalledthat on July 21, 1954, the Geneva Accords were signed after 75days of intense and complex negotiations marking the first time in thenation's history that the fundamental national rights of Vietnam –independence, sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity – had been affirmedin an international agreement, recognised and respected by the countriesparticipating in the Geneva Conference. This was a result of the resilientstruggle by the people under the leadership of the Party throughout the long resistance against colonialism, culminating in the glorious victory ofDien Bien Phu.
He said alongside the victory, the accordscompletely ended the colonial domination of the old imperialism that had lastednearly 100 years in the country, ushering in a new chapter in the cause of nationalliberation and reunification. It marked the establishment of socialism in the northand the launch of the democratic national revolution in the south, aiming tofully realise the goal of national independence and unity.
Deputy Minister of National Defence Ta Quang Buu (sitting, right), of the delegation of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, and French General Henri Delteil, Acting Commander-in-chief of the French Union forces in Indochina, sign the agreement on the cessation of hostilities in Vietnam. (File photo: VNA)The signing of the Geneva Accords was not only a historicalmilestone for the nation but also held significance for the era, he said,adding that it represented the collective triumph of the three Indochinesecountries and peace lovers worldwide. This agreement, along with the Dien BienPhu victory, strongly encouraged oppressed peoples to rise up in the strugglefor national liberation, heralding the era of the collapse of imperialismworldwide.
Describing the accords as thefirst international agreement negotiated, signed and enforced by Vietnam, Son said it not only affirmed Vietnam's independent and sovereign status on theinternational stage but also represented a significant milestone in the developmentof Vietnam's revolutionary diplomacy. It left valuable lessons andcontributed to the cultivation of numerous outstanding diplomats in the Ho ChiMinh era.
According to him, Vietnam kept expanding internationalsolidarity, pooling support from people worldwide to the righteous struggle by the Vietnamese people during the negotiations of the Geneva Accords.
Throughout the process of negotiating, signing,and implementing the accords, Vietnam consistently adhered to theprinciples of peace, national independence, and territorial integrity, whileremaining agile and flexible with a strategy appropriate to the balance ofpower and the global and regional context, in order to achieve strategicobjectives.
The foreign minister also underlined lessons onstudying and forecasting situation, using dialogue and peaceful negotiations toresolve differences and conflicts in international relations, adding that theyare especially relevant in today's complex global landscape.
Hefurther said that in the overall cause of national liberation andreunification, and specifically in the negotiations, signing, and implementationof the Geneva Accords, Vietnam consistently received significant and invaluablesupport, both materially and spiritually, from international friends, primarilyfrom Laos, Cambodia, socialist countries, and peace-loving people worldwide.
In the process of renewal and following theParty's sound foreign policy, Vietnam continues to garner invaluable supportand cooperation from the international community on the basis of equality andmutually beneficial cooperation.
The Vietnamese Party, State, and people always highly value and keep in mind the support and assistance from international friends,he said, adding that within its ability, Vietnam always supports and makes activeand responsible contributions to the collective efforts of the internationalcommunity for peace, independence, democracy, and progress worldwide./.
