The leader creates the premise for the country to strongly integrate internationally.

French President Jacques Chirac awarded the Legion of Honor toPresident Tran Duc Luong. Photo: VNA

1. Former President Tran Duc Luong assumed the responsibility of leading the State of Vietnam from September 1997 to June 2006. That was the period when our country, on the basis of the achievements of the renovation process, began to proactively integrate deeply and comprehensively into the international community. In his capacity as President and Chairman of the National Defense and Security Council, Comrade Tran Duc Luong, together with the Party and State leaders, directed and directly participated in the orientation and implementation of foreign policy in the renovation period of our country, especially the process of international integration.

Former President Tran Duc Luong's mark on foreign policy and activities is very profound. Foreign affairs activities of high-ranking leaders of the country always play a very decisive and important role in foreign affairs achievements. In this aspect, former President Tran Duc Luong is truly a national leader in the era of international integration. Many foreign affairs activities of former President Tran Duc Luong are important milestones in Vietnam's foreign affairs such as the visit to Russia in 1998; the visit to France in 2002 - also the first visit to France by the head of state of Vietnam since the two countries established official diplomatic relations in 1973; hosting the visit of US President Bill Clinton to Vietnam in 2000 - the first US president to visit Vietnam; attending the United Nations Millennium Summit in 2000.

Former President Tran Duc Luong was assigned by the Politburo to lead the inter-sectoral working group to draft the project "Defending the Fatherland in the new situation" - the project was approved by the Politburo and the Central Executive Committee as a resolution (Resolution of the 8th Central Committee, 9th tenure). The resolution orients, guides and illuminates the cause of defending the Fatherland of our Party, State and people in the context of the new situation at home and abroad.

2. During my working life, in the field of diplomacy and foreign affairs, I was honored to have the opportunity to serve the foreign affairs activities of former President Tran Duc Luong and participate in the interdisciplinary working group to draft the project "Defending the Fatherland in the new situation". During the times accompanying the leaders of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to report on work to former President Tran Duc Luong, the times participating in the delegation accompanying former President Tran Duc Luong on official visits to countries and attending international conferences, attending meetings of the above-mentioned interdisciplinary working group, I always saw former President Tran Duc Luong as a very dedicated and responsible national leader, with both a strategic vision and a very close and specific approach, strict but not cold.

In the foreign affairs activities of former President Tran Duc Luong that I participated in serving, I witnessed that he always adhered to the goal and principle of ensuring national interests, was calm and flexible, persuaded and mobilized, won over and conquered partners. He often went straight to the point, pointed out and focused on the most essential things, always closely followed the country's requirements and demands for development and security as well as the realities in world politics and international relations.

The analysis, interpretation, direction and summary of former President Tran Duc Luong on foreign affairs in general and international integration in particular during this period helped Vietnam's foreign affairs to properly resolve the issues that needed to be resolved, and to answer the questions that needed to be answered during that period. For example, how to operate the international integration process and according to what roadmap, how deep and wide international integration should be in each specific stage, and how to properly and best handle the interaction between promoting bilateral cooperation and international integration. The directions of former President Tran Duc Luong at that time also helped position the country in the modern world during the era of globalization and international integration. Our generation learned from him many things that were of great value for our civil service careers.

It can be said that former President Tran Duc Luong made great and important contributions to the achievements in foreign affairs in general and the achievements in international integration in particular that we have achieved in the initial period of international integration. That is a favorable premise, a solid foundation and a driving force for the country to enter a period of stronger, deeper and more practical international integration in the next stage.

International integration is opening a new era for Vietnam's foreign affairs, posing new issues that need to be resolved, requiring correct awareness and appropriate approaches. Former President Tran Duc Luong has passed away, but his mark and contributions to the country's foreign affairs have left many lessons, which will be remembered forever by the country and its people.

Ambassador TRAN DUC MAU
Former Director of Foreign Policy Department (Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/nha-lanh-dao-tao-tien-de-cho-dat-nuoc-hoi-nhap-quoc-te-manh-me-post796582.html