Seminar on Implementing of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1540

From 28th September to 1st October 2010, in Hanoi, the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam - Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Vietnam coordinated with the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) organized a Southeast Asia regional seminar to evaluate the implementation of United Nations the Security Council (UNSC) of Resolution 1540 on non-proliferation.

Resolution 1540 was issued on 28th April 2004, in the context of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction becoming a global problem, threatening the security of not only a single country or region but also affecting the world peace. To cope with this problem, the coordination and collaboration of all countries and international organizations are highly required.

As the rotating ASEAN chairman in 2010, Vietnam in cooperation with the United Nations 1540 Committee held this regional seminar in order to exchange the experience and information, help improve capacity and techniques for the ASEAN countries in border control and management of weapons import and export, prevent the proliferation of mass destruction of weapons, and implement the provisions of Resolution 1540.

Giving a speech at the seminar, the Deputy Foreign Minister, Bui Thanh Son affirmed that since Resolution 1540 was issued to date, countries in Southeast Asia have been positively and proactively implementing the provisions of the Resolution, participating in most of other regional and international agreements related to this area. Vietnam, as a member of the UN and ASEAN, in recent years, has completely and seriously done the obligations under Resolution 1540. Simultaneously, in the two year non-permanent United Nations Security Committee member, Vietnam has actively participated in different work of the Committee 1540, involving in negotiations and adoptions of Resolution 1810 (on the review and renewal of resolution 1540).

This was the 7th seminar on implementing United Nations Resolution 1540 held at the world level and was first organized in Southeast Asia. The preceding workshops was alternately held in other areas such as South America, the Middle East, Africa, Eastern Europe ... In this four-day seminar, participants from Southeast Asian countries, UN agencies, and the international and other regional organizations such as the Caribbean Community, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons… focused on discussing the following contents:

- The implementation and challenge to Resolution 1540;

- Trade Security and Facilitation;

- The national export, re-export and transit control system;

- National Action Plan and supporting models;

- Approach to capacity building: international capacity building programs and regional efforts;

- Cooperation in implementing of Resolution 1540.

The seminar on Implementing of Resolution 1540 was held in Hanoi this time evidently expressed the commitment of Vietnam in non-proliferation, enhancing Vietnam’s position in solving the international affairs, reflecting the positively and actively international integration of Vietnam, and also asserting the country’s increasing roles in ASEAN community.