Vietnam has chaired the first plenary session of the United Nations’ conference on disarmament (CD) 2019 during its Presidency of the Conference on June 24-28 and July 29-Aug 18. 
Vietnamese Ambassador Duong Chi Dung at the session on June 25. Photo: MOFA
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Ambassador Duong Chi Dung voiced Vietnam’s honor of holding the chair of the session and emphasized the importance of cooperation in addressing common challenges to world peace and international security.
The ambassador highlighted Vietnam’s first-term contributions as president of the CD in 2009, saying that Vietnam wanted to be actively involved in this area.
The ambassador shared Vietnam’s priorities and efforts in continuing contributions to the maintenance of the international peace and security, especially after the country has been elected as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the 2020-2021 term and ASEAN 2020 President.
Vietnam, which took the position of rotating president, expressed hope that member states would work together to help promote the conference and bring positive results.
The plenary session. Photo: MOFA
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To strengthen cooperation and promote the role of regional organizations in disarmament issues, for the first time in the CD history and at the initiative of Vietnam, the conference invited ASEAN Secretary-General Lim Jock Hoi to participate and speak.
Lim reiterated ASEAN’s commitment to the elimination of war weapons, the fight against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and the introduction of key content of the Southeast Asia Non-Nuclear Weapons Treaty (SEANWFZ). He also invited the countries that have nuclear weapons to join the SEANWFZ Protocol.
At the session, the countries reaffirmed their support for Vietnam’s initiatives and efforts in its work as president of the CD.
Speaking at the event, CD Secretary-General Michael Moller stressed the need to work hard to resolve inherent conflicts and new problems arising in the field of military disarmament, calling CD members to continue showing their goodwill of cooperation, respect multilateral processes and take a new approach, including strengthening cooperation with non-governmental organizations, private sector and scholars to help put the conference a central role in the field of disarmament.
Romania, on behalf of the European Union (EU), said it supports ASEAN in playing a central role in maintaining regional peace and regional security, conflict prevention and active participation in problems on the Korean Peninsula.
Under the CD’s provisions, when the Conference is in session, the Presidency of the Conference shall rotate among all its members and each president shall preside for a four-working-week period.
Under the provisions of the CD, the position of the president alternates between member countries. In 2019, Vietnam, Ukraine, the UK, the US, Venezuela and Zimbabwe took this position.
