Committee: ASEAN Regional Forum Topic Area: Combating Terrorism and Promoting Democracy to Contribute in the Stability of International

Situation Member State: Socialist Republic of Vietnam

The issues before ASEAN Regional Forum are: 1. Combatting Terrorism Acknowledging how terrorism occurs not only because of any bad situations but when various political, economic, social trends coincide, the Government of Viet Nam sees how terrorism as an act of extreme discontents. The wide of gaps and unfairness in society have triggered the existence of radicalism of ideologies which can bear any violent acts intended to destroy life and physical life of people, going against peoples government, and even obstructing foreign relations of state as the way of shouting out their opinion and pursuing their interest. But as the ideologies grow and go beyond state border, terrorism becomes potential threat to peace, security, and stability all over the world. The tragedy of 9/11 has remarked a history how terrorism has been a global problem which drives the urgent need of cooperation between states in order combating terrorism for the sake of keeping the states sovereignty and global security. Dealing with low threat of terrorism doesnt make the Government of Viet Nam neglects any possibilities for terrorism spread out within the country. Working in any kind of framework, national, regional, and international, the Government of Viet Nam strongly shows the commitment and efforts to keep the global security and stable development. To the date, Government of Viet Nam has joined and ratified 8 international conventions on anti-terrorism out of 13 multilateral conventions relating to anti-terrorism approved by UN. In regional framework, as ASEAN member, the Government of Viet Nam has ratified ASEAN Antiterrorism convention. In the spirit of assembly, the Government of Vietnam would like to propose points of recommendation of tightening the regulations in order keeping track of terrorism on. Government of Vietnam realizes how terrorism -doesnt matter the domestic network or international ones- works in wide scope and goes beyond state border, which makes the efforts of states to cooperate is needed more. Government of Viet Nam believes that a strong regulation is really needed to drive the application success. In order to find the accurate solution, ASEAN Regional Forum shall takes care things that can be taken by terrorist to spread out and move, and Government of Viet Nam sees how the focus on the cooperation includes: 1. Internet usage as terrorism proceeds by internet to in terms of recruiting, fund raising, publicating, idea spreading, and so on. 2. Enhancing the security in states border, both land and water ones.

2. Promoting Democracy to Contribute in the Stability of International Situation The Government of Viet Nam pursue the value of democracy as something subjective which cant be standardized between a certain country and the others. Democracy is seen more as a principal which deem in the subjective freedom. Educational, cultural and economical backgrounds, aside political background, are some aspect which predispose the level of democracy in a particular state. Seeing the anarchy nature in international affairs, thus, becoming a democratic country is a choice of every single country in this world. However, what the international needs to do is not

always imposing the democracy to every single country but merely only to the extend of using the soft negotiation within the framework of sovereignty as the endorse endeavor. The conduct of imposing democracy can be considered as a form of defiance towards the principal of democracy itself and will never escort to the success of democratization process. The case happening in Myanmar can be a reflection of how to deal with democracy from the international spectacles. The sanctions given to Myanmar in terms of banning investment, preventing the financial assistance from global financial institutions, boycotting consumer, banning the import by the US, and giving limitations on developmental aid are not the proper yet effective way to bring Myanmar into the democracy value. Those actions are considered as an immediate approach to get Myanmar democratized. Whereas, in order to be a democratic country it necessitate a step-by-step process. Not to mention, this process also grasp a long time and cant be achieved easily. Thus imposing democracy will only give more suppression towards the civilians. So far, Vietnam has been neutral in showing her position upo the case of democracy in Myanmar.1 This could be considered as the international past action which refers to her stance that against the idea of intervention trough sovereignty of particular state. Therefore, government of Vietnam believes the case in Myanmar should be responded with: 1. The end of sanction for Myanmar The Government of Viet Nam condemns the sanction given for Myanmar for the reason of its injustification and ineffectivity in establishing a sustainable democracy system, in Myanmar particularly and in the international system generally. The idea of democracy should come up within the framework of sovereignty because democracy will never be achieved when it is being imposed. What happen with Myanmar right now is only giving more suppression to the civilian without bringing any greater good for the establishment of democracy system. Therefore, The Government of Viet Nam believes that the sanction for Myanmar should come to an end. 2. Non-intervention policy Recalling the UN Charter of non-intervention principal2, The government of Viet Nam have faith fully in the sovereignty of state as the highest authority in determining its policies. Intervention is something inherently erroneous and forbidden because intervention will never be able to be separated from the interest of the other countries. This is going to be even worst if the intervention is manifested in the form of coercion suppressing the country. 3. Financial assistance as a trigger to democracy It is undeniable that finance do take part as a momentous function in shaping the layer of democracy. Lacking of fund will indirectly escort the country to neglect the democracy system. Therefore, one alternative way to endorse democracy, not in coercive way, is giving more financial assistance to those who are willing to implement the value of democracy. This will eager and encourage the countries to be democratic. Considering democracy as something subjective, the government of Viet Nam believes in the end sanction of Myanmar, non-intervention policy and more financial assistance as a trigger to democracy. By those solutions, the government of Viet Nam believes that democracy could be endorsed in a more appropriate and valuable technique which at the very last will lead to a better world.
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Accessed from http://www.csis.or.id/Publications-OpinionsDetail.php?id=94 on September 26th 2011, 1:01 GMT+7. th Accessed from http://www.un.org/documents/ga/res/36/a36r103.htm on September 25 2011, 23:59 GMT+7.