Human rights dialogue between Switzerland and Vietnam
Berne, 06.07.2006 - Delegations from Vietnam and Switzerland met in Bern and Zurich on 3 and 4 July 2006 for the fourth round of the dialogue on human rights and international organisations. In an open and constructive atmosphere the participants discussed the ratification and implementation of the Convention on Torture, the activity of the UN Human Rights Council and cooperation in projects and other activities.
Switzerland and Vietnam agreed to support reform processes to improve the human rights situation. Experts from the administration and from civil society discussed the key issue of the ratification of the Convention on Torture. The basic pre-requisites were discussed and Switzerland's experience with this central instrument of international law was described. The question of non-refoulement (the principle in international law of non-deportation) elicited considerable interest. The Vietnamese side stressed that it was seriously considering the ratification of the convention. A visit to a remand centre in Zurich provided an insight into daily life in a Swiss prison administration.
The Swiss delegation welcomed Vietnam's efforts to achieve better human rights protection, particularly through reform of the justice and legal system. The Vietnamese side emphasised that in the long term it wished to abolish capital punishment and that in the near future it intended to reduce the number of crimes subject to the death penalty. Although both sides had different approaches to the issue of administrative detention, they agreed that this topic deserved greater attention. The Swiss delegation expressed concern about several cases of imprisonment in Vietnam.
The work of the new Human Rights Council was also discussed. Switzerland expressed the wish that Vietnam should invite the UN special rapporteur on freedom of expression. The Vietnamese side stated that it was seriously considering the ratification of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
Both delegations commended the cooperation between the two countries in Vietnam. This cooperation involves the Embassy in Hanoi and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and Development (SDC), notably in the area of women's rights. The delegations agreed on further joint activities relating to the Convention on Torture and to the International Criminal Court and discussed proposals to protect minorities.
Pham Binh Minh, General Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, headed the Vietnamese delegation, which consisted of 13 representatives of the ministries of justice, public security, religion and international organisations. The Swiss delegation consisted of EDA staff members and was headed by Jean-Daniel Biéler, Ambassador for human security issues.Address for enquiries
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