Former Member of Politburo, Former Vice Chairman of the Council of Ministers, Former Minister of Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mr. Nguyen Co Thach is an outstanding diplomat, a leader with creative thinking, breakthrough vision and tenacious bravery. With more than 4 decades of closely working with the diplomacy sector, of which more than 11 years in the leading position, Minister Nguyen Co Thach has made great contributions to the victory of Vietnam's foreign affairs, including people-to-people diplomacy.
Minister of Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mr. Nguyen Co Thach gave a speech at the 35th United Nations General Assembly in August 1980 (Documentary photo: VNA)
Being a person who directly participated in making policy, formulating measures, countermeasures, directing and organizing the implementation of foreign policy, both in the period of struggling for national independence, reunification, breaking the siege and embargo, expanding international relations, rebuilding the country and in the process of renovation and international integration, Minister Nguyen Co Thach always attached great importance to the role of people-to-people diplomacy, spent much effort and enthusiasm on people-to-people diplomacy. He was also the person who directly participated and promoted the advantages of people-to-people diplomacy to effectively support the Party and State diplomacy, fulfilling the noble mission of Vietnam's foreign policy.
Minister Nguyen Co Thach was an outstanding statesman, as well as an outstanding people-to-people diplomat with sharp and creative thinking, strategic vision, plentiful practical activities and unique diplomatic style.
Consistently pursuing the foreign policy of independence, self-reliance and peace
As a loyal student and excellent application of Ho Chi Minh's diplomatic thought, Minister Nguyen Co Thach was a consistent and steadfast expression of immutable principle as: For Vietnamese people, patriotism, love of peace and national independence are closely attached and connected together.
Leading the foreign affairs sector in the complicated and upheaval period from the anti-American war to the early 1990s, when our country had to deal with post-war challenges and many complex and sensitive issues in the relationship with major countries, Minister Nguyen Co Thach has always been steadfast in the foreign policy of independence, self-reliance and peace of our Party and State.
In June 1984, in an interview with Danish journalist Thomas Bo Pedersen (Land Og Folk Newspaper of the Danish Communist Party), Minister Nguyen Co Thach stated: “You will see why Vietnam respects peace more than anything. In this country, every family has experienced war loss. We are ready to stand up at any time against invaders, but we are not the ones to initiate any conflicts".
Minister affirmed: “If we do not continue to fight for freedom and independence, we will have to pay a much more disastrous consequence in the future. Few countries suffer from foreign domination plots like Vietnam. Every time, we are determined to sacrifice ourselves to combat. With history of our country like that, do you think Vietnam will succumb to the domination of any foreign power". With the history of our country like that, do you think Vietnam will succumb to the domination of any foreign power?
Promoting the strength of international solidarity
Minister Nguyen Co Thach has been deeply aware of and effectively promoted the strength of people, international solidarity and combined national strength with the strength of the times.
Participating in the Paris conference on Vietnam as an advisor to the head of delegation Mr. Le Duc Tho, he actively contributed to enlisting international support, promoting the formation of a broad front of the world's people to support Vietnam against the US invasion, affecting the internal US, creating a war right in the US with the strong movement of American people against the war.
Taking on the task of being Foreign Minister when our country was in very difficult situations, surrounded by sieges, embargoes, political isolation, severe socio-economic crisis, in the world, socialist countries fell into crisis, disbandment, Minister Nguyen Co Thach skillfully steered Vietnam's diplomacy in successfully implementing the Party's foreign policy, overcoming challenges and fluctuations, creating breakthroughs, making adjustments of strategic significance, finding solutions to CPC problems, and bringing our country out of the siege and isolation situation; normalizing and expanding relations with other countries, including major countries and important international organizations.
Minister Nguyen Co Thach (the last people on the left) was at the 11th Regular Meeting of Foreign Ministers of Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam in Phnom Penh (August 1985). (Photo: VNA)
An outstanding people-to-people diplomat
Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mr. Nguyen Co Thach has strongly promoted the advantage of going ahead, exploring and paving the way of people-to-people diplomacy to break the embargo. He maximized the effectiveness of public opinion struggles and international advocacy on people-to-people channels, through media channels, scholars, businesses, especially took advantage of opportunities to attend United Nations Forums to inform about Vietnam's efforts in overcoming consequences of the war, about difficulties caused by unjust embargo to our people, clarifying Vietnam's stance and legitimacy in the issues of Cambodia, relations with major countries, border and territoriality, sea and islands, thereby multiplying voices in the support of ending the blockade and embargo against Vietnam.
Particularly for Vietnam-US relations, he was one of the people who took the lead, and together with generations of leaders, parliamentarians and people of two countries, made an important contribution to breaking ice relations, removed animosity and enmity, promoted normalization, and opened the stage for friendship development and cooperation, turned former enemies into friends and partners. In the context of foreign relations on state channels facing many obstacles, he took brave steps and actively took advantage of channels from government, Congress, veterans, businesses, academics, newspapers, civic organizations of the United States... to the United Nations and international friends as well as Vietnamese compatriots abroad to jointly contribute and strive to promote Vietnam - US relations. He soon realized the resolution of the missing Americans (MIA) issues as a bridge to reopen dialogs, towards normalization, and invited American veterans to visit Vietnam to discuss the MIA issues. He contacted many veterans of both Democratic and Republican parties such as Senators John McCain, John Kerry..., and influential individuals from many interest groups to discuss the MIA issues, while also addressed many other issues that enhance mutual understanding.
Minister Nguyen Co Thach was a harmonious combination between an experienced politician and a true people-to-people diplomat. He was really an excellent successor to Ho Chi Minh’s art and style of people-to-people diplomacy. Exploiting the advantage of press information, one of sharp, powerful and effective weapons of people-to-people diplomacy, he spent a lot of time directly interacting, having dialogs, and giving interviews to international journalists and press with very intelligent and sharp arguments, he strongly affirmed the just cause of our people, correct policy direction and goodwill for peace and friendship of the State and our people.
He was not afraid of meeting, paid great attention to building personal relationships, was willing to make friends with people who were former people on the other side of battlefields, took advantage of every opportunity to exchange views, learn, and gain experience, was ready to discuss all issues, including personal issues such as wartime experience, family and health to understand more about each other. Mr. John McAuliff, coordinator of the Committee for Commemorating the Peace of Vietnam often recalls the touching memory of 1990, when Mr. Thach and many other Vietnamese friends attended his engagement party even if at that time, his organization was found to be at fault.
He has been away for many years, but until this day, international friends still remember and refer to him as an excellent diplomat with profound wisdom, erudition, steadfastness, perseverance, flexible behavior, shrewdness and very close, simple as well. He is a sincere, open and witty friend with great attraction, persuasion and deep impression. He left a strong mark on the leadership, country and people of Vietnam, and in the words of some international friends: "He touched the hearts of friends". That is the purpose of people-to-people diplomacy.
Reviewing the memories of Minister Nguyen Co Thach, we highly appreciate the great his legacy and must continue to try harder and learn from him to promote the role of people-to-people diplomacy, so that it must make people-to-people diplomacy to be really a pillar of a comprehensive and modern Vietnamese diplomacy in the new context, promoting the pioneering role of foreign affairs, contributing to the successful realization of Vietnam's foreign policy goals, effectively serving the cause of national construction and defense.
According to Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations