(VOVworld) – A meeting was held in Hanoi on Friday to mark the 60^th anniversary of the signing of the Geneva Agreement on a ceasefire in Vietnam. Party leader Nguyen Phu Trong, President Truong Tan Sang, war veterans, and representatives of the diplomatic corps attended the event.

Addressing the function, President Truong Tan Sang said the signing marked an important milestone in Vietnam’s struggle for national liberation and independence. He spoke highly of those who participated directly and indirectly to the diplomatic struggle, especially members of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam’s negotiation team at the Geneva Conference in 1954. President Truong Tan Sang said: “the signing was a great victory and significant to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. For the first time, the French government and countries participating in the conference committed to respecting Vietnam’s sovereignty, independence, unification, and territorial integrity and not interfering in Vietnam’s internal affairs. The Geneva Agreement was an important step affirming Vietnam’s aspiration for peace, unification, and territorial integrity. The success of the Geneva Agreement is the triumph of patriotism, the sound revolutionary guidelines of President Ho Chi Minh, and international solidarity. It was the first time that Vietnam’s revolutionary diplomacy entered the world arena.”

Deputy Defence Minister Ta Quang Buu, on behalf of the Government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, signs an armistice agreement on Indochina, on July 21, 1954. (File photo)

President Truong Tan Sang said the agreement left valuable lessons for the Party, the army, and people in national construction and defense.

Since the renewal process was launched 30 years ago, Vietnam has gained major achievements of historical significance. But the country is facing many challenges, particularly sovereignty disputes in the East Sea. President Truong Tan Sang said: “diplomatically, we will continue to increase the Party’s comprehensive and unified leadership while coordinating external activities of the Party, State, and people. We will continue pursuing the foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, cooperation and development. We will fight any forces which attempt to infringe Vietnam’s independence, sovereignty, unification, and territorial integrity. Vietnam will persist in resolving all disputes peacefully and with the motto - Vietnam is a friend, reliable partner, and a responsible member of the international community.”

President Truong Tan Sang speaks at the ceremony

President Truong Tan Sang insisted that since time immemorial, Vietnam is a peace-loving country but peace must be closely connected to national independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. He added: “Vietnam will uphold the stance and diplomatic ideology of President Ho Chi Minh. That is Vietnam wants peace but we will resolutely fight to the last breath to protect our most sacred rights including territorial integrity and independence. The ideas are written in the document sent to the United Nations and governments of countries around the world after Vietnam’s Independence Day on September 2^nd, 1945.”

At the meeting, President Truong Tan Sang presented the title ‘Hero of the People’s Armed Forces’ to members of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam’s negotiation team at the Geneva Conference in 1954 for their special achievements in the resistance war against French colonialists.