UN General Assembly
1999

respect for international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 1992 Declaration of ASEAN Foreign Ministers on the South China Sea. While seeking a lasting solution, all the parties concerned should exercise self-restraint, refrain from any act that may further complicate the situation and take confidence-building measures to ensure regional peace and stability, thus facilitating the search for fundamental, permanent solutions. In this regard, ASEAN's current efforts to draw up a code of conduct in the South China Sea, in accordance with the spirit of the sixth ASEAN summit, held in Hanoi, are a step in the right direction and a constructive measure, contributing to confidence- building and the peaceful settlement of disagreements in the region. As a Member of the United Nations and the international community, Viet Nam has done its utmost, and will continue to do so, to contribute to the common work of humankind. Viet Nam's consistent position is to pursue an independent, sovereign foreign policy, seeking the multilateralization and diversification of external