thayer vietnam commits to un peacekeeping
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University of Social Sciences and Humanities - Policy Brief, first edition
BRIDGING VIETNAM AND THE WORLD
Distinguis hed Readers,
The "Policy Brief" fro m the University of Social Sciences and Humanities (USSH), Vietnam Na tiona l
Uni versity aims to p rovid e national and int erna tion al audien es with upda ted kno wledge and information
on current even ts concern ing Vietnam in the international con text. It includes Vietnam's foreign, security,
and inte gr ation policy as well as its position and point of views on d ifferen t regional and intern at ional
probl em s. In order to d o so the "Policy Brief" will invite a w ide range of contribu tors includ ing po licy
makers and experts, research ers and practitioners, professors and en trepreneurs, both in Vietnam as
well as abroad . To reach both Vietna mese and internation al au d iences, the "Policy Brief" is a bilingual
publication with Vietnamese and English language.
It is our grea t honor to introduce to the distinguish read ers the fir t issue of the "Policy Brief" which deal
with the decision of Vietnam to participate in UN Peacekeeping Operations accord ing to Prime Minister
gu yen Tan Dung's anno uncemen t on the 12'hShangri-la Dialogue in Singapore in May 2013.
Professo r Dr. Carlyle Thayer from the Au stralian Academy of Defense analyses the fact r having
influenced Vietn am 's d ecision to commit to UN peacekeeping, including Vietn am's recen t active mil itary
coop eration, ASEAN involvement in UN peacekee ping and the possib ility for Vietnam to play a greater
role in international affairs .
Major Gene ral Nguyen Hong Qu an, Deputy Director of the Institute for Strategic Defen e, Ministry of
Defense of Vietnam confirms in his contribution that Vietn am 's particip at ion in peacekeeping serves as
one measu re to streng then its relations with the international community.
This Policy Brief was de veloped in coop erat ion w ith the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftu ng (FES), a German poli tical
founda tion that aims to foster internal understan ding and cooperation.
I hope that our upcoming series of "Policy Briefs" will bridge Vietnam an d the World and help
understanding Vietn am 's international integration policies.
Thank you, dear read ers, for your att ention . We look forward to you r cooperation and comment .
Sine rely your s,
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pharn Qu ang Minh
Vice Rector,
Un iversity of Social Sciences and Humanities
Vietnam Commits to UN Peacekeeping
VIETNAM COMMITS TO UN PEACEKEEPING
Introduction
Vietnam has no historical legacy of working
with the United Nations (UN) prior to
reunification in 1975. Vietnamese leaders
based on their historical experience, have bee~ opposed to foreign intervention in the internal
affairs of another country. Vietnam has also
been wary about UN intervention. Its 2009
Defence White Paper declared:
Vietnam greatly appreciates the role of the UN and regards the peace-keeping
operations (PKO) as an important function
of the UN. To better fulfil this function,
UN PKO must abide by the principle of
respecting independence, sovereignty,
territorial integrity, and non-interference in
the internal affairs of other countries; ensure
impartiality; and only be carried out with the
acceptance of the parties concerned.'
Vietnam's leaders also have other
reservations about UN peacekeeping. In
June 2008, military staff at the Ministry of
National Defence's Institute for Defence and
International Relations told the author that
there were five obstacles to joining a UN
peacekeeping mission: domestic opposition to sending soldiers abroad, the costs of
training, English language competency, the
risk of casualties, and fear that Vietnamese
working abroad could become targets by
armed non-state groups.
Further, Vietnam's leaders were concerned
that the prestige of their armed forces could
suffer if they demonstrated any shortcomings
Socialist R~~ublic of Vietnam, Vietnam National Defence (HanOI:Ministry of National Defence, 2009), 27.
Carlyle A. Thayer*
or deficiencies due to lack of experience
while serving with other armed forces under
UN auspices. Vietnam's leaders also were
concerned that Vietnam did not have the
resources to support a major contribution to
UN peacekeeping operations.
Despite these ingrained attitudes and
reservations Vietnam, after extensive
deliberations over a decade, finally made
the decision to make a contribution to UN
Peacekeeping Operations (UN PKO). In May 2013, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan
Dung, in delivering the keynote address to
the 12th Shangri-La Dialogue, announced
that "at this prestigious forum, I have the honour to announce that Vietnam has decided to participate in UN peacekeeping operations, first in such areas as military engineering, military
medicine and military observation [emphasis in the original]."?
Background
The idea that Vietnam should contribute
to UN peacekeepingwas first raised by UN Secretary General BoutrousBoutrous-Ghali in
1993.During a visit to Hanoi, the UN Secretary
General said, "There is no reason why, in the
next fiveyears, we might not ask Vietnam to
participate in United Nations peacekeeping
efforts in Latin America or Europe.":' Vietnam
reacted to this proposal with studied silence
2 "Building Strategic Trust for Peace, Cooperation and Prosperity in the Asia-Pacific Region," Keynote Addressby H.E. Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung at the 12th Shangri-La Dialogue, Singapore, May 31,2013.
3 "UN chief pledges to help Hanoi's development efforts," BusinessTimes, April 13, 1993; and Associated Press/Agence France-Presse. "UN chief offers broad assistance to Vietnam," The Nation, April 13, 1993.
· Policy Brief 1/2014
Vietnam Commits to UN Peacekeeping
and for the next twelve years the ideaof
participating in UN peacekeeping activities
was put in cold storage.
Vietnam seriously began to consider
involvement in UN peacekeeping in late 2003
when Indonesia, as ASEAN Chair, proposed
the creation of a regional peacekeeping
force. Foreign observers reported that the
idea of contributing to UN peacekeeping was increasingly mentioned by Vietnamese
officials in 2004 and 2005 in response to
internal ASEAN deliberations. In October
2004, for example, Ngo DucThang, Vietnam's
permanent representative to the United
Nations, made these guarded remarks to
theGeneral Assembly's 59th session:
We highly appreciate the tirelessefforts of the Secretary-General to strengthen the
organisation's capacity to prevent andresolve
armed conflicts, including peace-keeping
and peace-building activities. In thisregard, Viet Nam has an important role to tackle global challenges and maintaininternational peace and security. We encourage speeding up of
the development of acomprehensive and coherent conflict-prevention strategy to
respond effectively tochallenges posed by
peace-keeping and peace-building processes
[emphasis added].'
More significantly, Prime Minister Phan Van
Khai revealed the following in thecourse of an interview on the eve of hishistoric visit to the
United States in 2005:
Washington Post: You'll be meeting with Kofi
Annan. Will you be making any gesturestoward
the United Nations, perhaps through UN
Peacekeeping?
Khai: Yes, in the future, we will try to fulfil our
obligations.
4 Quoted in Carlyle A. Thayer, "Vietnam and UN Peacekeeping," Thayer Consultancy Background Brief, January 12,2006 (updated January 15,2006).
Washington Post: Including UN peacekeeping?
Khai: Depending on our conditions, Vietnam's
still a poor economy. We are now also trying
to train some people, including military
personnel so that we may be able to participate
in peacekeeping. We might have some expertise
in landmine clearing, medical staff. You know
our condition. Vietnam is still a poor country."
On January 6, 2006, Le Dung, a spokesperson for Vietnam's Foreign Ministry, officially
announced that Vietnam had decided to run
for non-permanent membership on the UN
Security Council for the 2008-2009 term. He
added that Vietnam was also "preparing
to join UN peacekeeping activities when possible.:" However, Vietnam would not
send armed soldiers but only medical or mine
clearance personnel."
On October 27, 2006 the Group of Asian
Countries unanimously nominated Vietnam
as its only candidate for non-permanent
membership on the Security Council."
Throughout 2007, in tandem with its bid for a
seat on the Security Council, Vietnam played
up the possibility of making a contribution
to UN peacekeeping. In March, for example, when Ambassador Le Luong Minh, head of
Vietnam's Permanent Mission to the UN, spoke
before the Special Committee on Peacekeeping
Operations he revealed that Vietnam had
5 "Transcript: Interview with Phan Van Khai," The Washington Post, June 17, 2005.
6 Agence France-Presse, "Vietnam mulls contribution to UN peacekeeping," Thanh Nien News, January 6, 2006. See also: "VN may join UN peace-keeping forces: ministry" VietNam News,January 7, 2006 and Vietnam News Agency, "Vietnam to run for UN Security Council membership," Nhan Dan, January 10 2006.
7 Christine Webster interview with Carlyle Thayer, "Vietnam: Interest grow in UN peacekeeping operations," ABC Radio, Asia Pacific, January 11, 2006.
8 Vietnam News Agency, "Nation steps closer to UN Security Council inclusion," VietNamNet Bridge, October 30,2006; Deutsche Presse-Agentur, "Vietnam to be nominated to UN Security Council, state media says," October 30, 2006. Vietnam's' interest in becoming a non-permanent member of the Security Council dates back to 1997.
· Policy Brief 1/2014
Vietnam Commits to UN Peacekeeping
been engaged in discussions with the UN
Department of Peacekeeping Operations to
prepare for Vietnam's participation in UN
sanctioned peacekeeping operations."
Vietnam's quest for membership on the Security
Council was successful. In October 2007
the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly
elected Vietnam a non-permanent member."
But Vietnam remained equivocal about a
definite commitment to UN peacekeeping. On
November 13, 2007, for example, Ambassador
Minh stated that, "Vietnam is ready to take
part in the UN's peacekeeping activities
when necessary and appropriate."!' During
its two-year tenure on the Security Council,
which commenced January 2008, Vietnam
refrained from making any contribution to UN
peacekeeping operations.
In 2009 Vietnam released its third Defence White
Paper. This document was the first Defence White
Paper to make reference to UN peacekeeping. It
offered these guarded comments:
Vietnam is accomplishing its preparations
for effectively participating in UN PKO,
in conformity with its capability and
conditions. Vietnam's relevant agencies
are actively studying experience of other
countries, and preparing its personnel with
sufficient professional skills, foreign language
proficiency and knowledge of international
laws to participate effectively in UN PKOY
In February 2011, Deputy Minister for National
Defence Lt. Gen. Nguyen Chi Vinh confirmed
that Vietnam was "actively" preparing to
take part in UN peacekeeping. He expressed
Vietnam's willingness to join UNPKO at the
9 "UN peacekeepers supported by Vietnamese: ambassador," VietNamNet Bridge, March 3, 2007.
10 "Libya and Vietnam elected to UN Security Council," The New York Times, October 16, 2007.
11 "Vietnam to Start UN Security Council Presidency for July Next Yr."Thanh Nien, November 13,2007.
12 Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Vietnam National Defence (Hanoi: Ministry of National Defence, 2009), 27.
right time as "this would help the country
improve its position and study various issues
around the world." General Vinh stated that
Vietnam had begun preparing to join UN PKO
four years ago by conducting training, securing
government approval and seeking funding.
Any international participation would be
purely humanitarian. Vinh stated, "Vietnam's
policy is not to send its peacekeepers to places
where there are conflicts."13
In July 2012 a delegation from Vietnam's
State Steering Committee on National Action
Program held working sessions in New York
with UN's Department of Peacekeeping
Operations, UN Mine Action Service and the
United Nations Development Programme."
Seven months later Vietnam signalled privately
that it was now ready to make a contribution
to UN PKO. Deputy Defence Minister Senior
Lt. Gen. General Vinh told visiting UN
Assistant General Secretary Edmond Mulet
that Vietnamese soldiers would be available
to participate in UN peacekeeping operations
in early 2014.15 In May, as noted above, Prime
Minster Dung publicly announced that
Vietnam would commit to UN peacekeeping.
In order to lay the legal basis for participation
in UN PKO by Vietnamese military forces,
in November 2013 Vietnam's National
Assembly amended Chapter IV (Article 44)
of its 1992 State Constitution to include the
clause that the armed forces will "contribute
to the maintenance of peace in the region
and the world."16 Based on this amendment,
13 "Vietnam denies participation in joint military drills," Thanh Nien, February 21, 2011.
14 Vietnam News Agency, "Mine clearance committee delegation visits US," Tuoi Tre News, July 14, 2012.
15 Associated Press, "Vietnam says it will be ready to participate in United Nations peacekeeping operations," Febtruary 27, 2013.
16 "Toan van Du thao Hien Phaplvuoc Cong hoa Xa hoi Chu nghia Viet Nam nam 1992 (sua doi narn 2013)," Nghi quyel so 38/2012/QH13 cua Quoc hoi ve viec to chuc lii'yykien nhan dan ve du thao sua doi Hien phap nam ]992, 14. http://www.tracuuphapluat. info/2013/01/du-thao-hien-phap-nuoc-cong-hoaxhcn-viet-nam-nam-2013.html.
2.6
Policy Brief 1/2014
Vietnam Commits to UN Peacekeeping
the government will now promulgate by
laws and official policies to enable Vietnam's
involvement in UN peacekeeping.
Preparing for UN Peacekeeping
Beginning in 2005, and over the course of the
next eight years, Vietnam approached at least
nine countries to learn about their experiences
in UN peacekeeping operations and to solicit
assistance in training Vietnamese military
personnel for UN service.
Vietnam first made contact with Australia and
the United Kingdom. In November 2005, two
Vietnam People's Army officers became the
first in a steady stream to attend the course for
Peace Operations Military Observers hosted by
the Australian Defence Force Peace Operations
Training Centre. In October 2010, Vietnam
and Australia signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) that included capacity
building for UN peacekeeping missions. In
addition to providing annual stipends for
Vietnamese officers to attend the military
observers course, Australia funded a second
English-language teaching laboratory at the
Military Technical Academy in Hanoi. During
the course of a visit to Vietnam in August 2012,
Defence Minister Stephen Smith announced
that Australia was providing training to eighty
Vietnamese personnel for possible future UN
peacekeeping missions. I?
Also in November 2005 the United Kingdom
(UK) organized a strategic-level seminar on
peacekeeping in Hanoi. Vietnam's defence
cooperation with the UK was formalized in
November 2011 with the signing of a MOU
that raised bilateral relations to a strategic
partnership. The MOU included cooperation
in peacekeeping. IS In July 2012, under the
17 "Australia calls for South China Sea resolution," Radio Australia, August 30, 2012.
18 "UK concludes English course for Vietnam peacekeeping personnel," Tuoi TreNews, July 12, 2012.
terms of the MOU, the UK delivered the first
of two five-month English language courses
in Hanoi for twenty-four future Vietnamese
peacekeeping personnel. .
In 2007, Vietnam broadened its outreach by
approaching New Zealand, Singapore and
India. In March 2007,Lt. Gen. Nguyen HuyHieu,
Deputy Minister of National Defence, visited
Wellington where he expressed an interest in
receivingNewZealand'sassistanceindeveloping
Vietnam's capabilities in peacekeeping. The
Chief of the New Zealand Defence Force
made a return visit to Hanoi in August 2008
and discussed with his counterpart how
"both countries might work together as
Viet Nam considers future involvement in
United Nations peace operations." In February
2009, New Zealand's Defence Secretary offered
to share his country's experiences in UN
peacekeeping.19
In September 2007, Singapore's Defence
Minister, Teo Chee Hean, visited Hanoi for talks
with his counterpart General PhungQuang
Thanh that covered Singapore's experiences
in peacekeeping. In November 2012, at the 5th
Singapore-Vietnam Defence Policy Dialogue
the two sides agreed "to improve effective and
practical cooperation... and sharing experience
in international peacekeeping activities.?"
After Vietnam announced its intention to
commit to UN PKO, Singapore agreed to assist
Vietnam in training military doctors for service
with the UNY
In November 2007, at the third India-Vietnam
security dialogue in New Delhi, India agreed
to share its expertise in training for UN
19 "NZ defence secretary visits Vietnam," Voice of Vietnam News, May 15, 2009.
20 "Defence dialogue boosts Vietnam-Singapore partnership," QuanDoiNhan Dan Online, November 22,2012.
21 "Vietnam and Singapore to boost cooperation in military medicine," QuanDoiNhan Dan Online, July 9,2013.
27
Policy Brief 112014
Vietnam Corr mits to UN Peacekeeping
peacekeeping operations. The following
year India dispatched a four-member army
team to Vietnam to conduct training on UN
peacekeeping operations. In October 2010, the
defence ministers of India and Vietnam met
in Hanoi. India's A. K. Anthony responded
affirmatively to a request from his counterpart,
General Thanh, for India to send experts to
Vietnam to help train Vietnamese military
personnel for international missions."
In 2008, Vietnam further broadened its
outreach to include Canada, the United
States, Poland and Bulgaria. In May, Canadian
officials travelled to Hanoi to discuss
Vietnam's capacity to contribute forces to
UN PKO. In October, the United States and
Vietnam discussed Vietnamese participation
in UN peacekeeping operations at their
1st Security Dialogue on Political, Security
and Defense Issues." And in November,
in separate visits to Hanoi, both the Polish
Defence Minister and Bulgarian Chief of
General Staff discussed their country's
experiences in international peacekeeping
with their Vietnamese counterparts.
Vietnam's interaction with the United States
led to series of follow on engagements. InApril
2009, the U.S. Asia-Pacific Centre for Security
Studies conducted a five-day workshop
in Hanoi on "Vietnam and United Nations
Peace Operations" for nearly fifty mid-level
and senior policy officials from the Ministry
of National Defence, Ministry of Public
Security and Ministry of Foreign Affairs."
In December 2009, Vietnam's Minister for
22 "India to help Vietnam train peacekeeping forces," The Economic Times, October 14, 2010.
23 Mark E. Manyin, U.S-Vietnam Relations: Background and Issues for Congress, CRS Report for Congress, (Washington, D.C.: Congressional Research Service, October 31, 2008), 3.
24 William R. Goodwin, "Workshop focuses on UN Peacekeeping options, challenges," April 10, 2009. http://www. a pcss. org/workshop-focuses-on-unpeaekeeping-optons-challenges/.
National Defence General PhungQuang
Thanh visited Washington where he held
discussions on bilateral cooperation with
the United States on peacekeeping activities,
exchange of experiences in bomb and
mine clearance, and military medicine." In
June 2010, at the 3rd U.s.-Vietnam security
dialogue, the participants"conferred about
future Vietnamese participation in United
Nations peacekeeping missions.r "
In September 2011, in a major step forward,
Vietnam and the United States formalized
their defence cooperation in a MOU that
made provision for a senior level dialogue to
discuss five areas of cooperation including
UN PKOY In July the following year, a
delegation from Vietnam's State Steering
Committee on National Action Program
on unexploded ordnance made a ten-day
working visit to the United States. The
delegation was led by Senior Lt. General
Nguyen Chi Vinh, Deputy Minister of
National Defence, and toured a number of
Department of Defense agencies involved in
research on mine clearance technology."
In July 2013, during President Truong
Tan Sang's visit to Washington that led
to the adoption of a joint statement on
comprehensive partnership, President
Barack Obama offered to assist Vietnam
with training and other support for its first
involvement in UN peacekeeping. At the
end of the year Secretary of State John Kerry
25 He also noted that Vietnam had held UN PKO discussions with Malaysia and Cambodia. No details were forthcoming.
26 "Strengthening Ties Between The U.s. And Vietnam," Voice of America News, June 16,2010.
27 Robert Kamiol, "Vietnam's dual-track defence strategy" The Straits Times, September 26, 2011. The other areas of cooperation included maritime security, search and rescue, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
28 Vietnam News Agency, "Mine clearance committee delegation visits US," Tuoi Tre News, July 14,2012.
28
Policy Brief 112014
Vietnam Commits to UN Peacekeeping
reported at a press conference in Hanoi that
"We're also working more closely than ever
on peacekeeping in the United Nations global
peacekeeping operations.t"
In 2012, Vietnam approached the European
Union. In late February-early March, David
O'Sullivan, Chief Operating Officer of the
European External Action Service, paid
a working visit to Vietnam. At this time
Vietnam formally requested the EU to share
its experiences in UN PKO and support
Vietnam's preparation and participation in
United Nations peacekeeping activities.P
Conclusion
There appear to be at least three factors that
influenced Vietnam's decision to make a
commitment to UN peacekeeping operations.
First, Vietnam's military has become more
internationally active in international defence
cooperation in recent years than in the
past. As a result Vietnam has entered into
dialogues on UN peacekeeping with at least
ten states (including the EU). Vietnamese
military officers who have attended overseas
courses have been exposed to changing
international and regional norms regarding
UN peacekeeping. Vietnamese military
personnel, for example, have interacted with
military officers from Brunei, Cambodia,
Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippine,
Singapore and Thailand - all fellow members
of ASEAN - who have served with the UN.
Second, ever since 1999 when a UN-approved
international force intervened in East Timor
there has been regional consideration for
ASEAN involvement in peacekeeping. In
29 U.s. Department of State, "Joint Press Availability With Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh, Government Guest House, Hanoi, December 16, 2013, 4.
30 "EU boosts cooperation with Vietnam," VietNamNet Bridge, March 2, 2012.
2003, when Indonesia was chairman of the
ASEAN Standing Committee, it mooted the
idea of a regional peacekeeping centre and
regional peacekeeping forces. The idea of
regional peacekeeping also has been discussed
by ASEAN defence officials, including the
chiefs of army. An Expert Working Group
on Peacekeeping is now functioning under
the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting Plus.
In sum, a normative shift has gradually
taken place for regional involvement in
peacekeeping under the UN Charter.
Third, Vietnam served on the UN Security
Council in 2008-09. Although it did not
contribute to UNPKO at that time it learned
that if Vietnam wanted to playa greater role in
international security making a contribution
to UN peacekeeping operations was one
avenue. Vietnam's then Ambassador to the
UN, Le Luong Minh, stated, for example, "If
Vietnam joins the peacekeeping force, our role
would be larger, enabling us to have more say
in security matters.">'
In sum, all three factors appear to have
contributed to Vietnam's decision to make a
modest contribution to UN PKO in 2014.
31 "Vietnam mulls UN peacekeeping role," Thanh Nien, January 13, 2006.
Plll k )' Br, d 1/201 1
About the Authors 31
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Major General Nguyen Hong Quan
Major General, Docto r Ngu yen Hong Qu an is Associate Professor and Vice Director Gene ral of Vietnam Institute for Defense Stra tegy (IDS). He is graduate of Vietna m National Defense Academy. He also attende d the
Institute for Higher Studies of National Defen se, France (IHEDN) . In his fourty years in the Army, he has tenanted prestigious command, instruction al
and staff appointments, notably, Vice Director General of the Foreign Relations Department (FRO), Ministry of Nationa l Defense. He was also UN Observer at the Algeri an Legislature in 1997. He obtaine d his Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and d id his Master of Ar ts in Internation al Relations from the Dipl om atic Academ y of Viet Nam, and Post Grad uate Diplom a from the Int ernational Inst itute of Publi c Adminstrat ion, Paris, France. He has a Doctorate in Modern
World History from the Social Sciences and Humanities College, Vietnam National University. He is visitin g Pro f ssor at Vietnam National Defense Academy, regularly pa rticipates in in tern ational
seminars and conferences in Vietn am and ab road, and contributes in academic fields. Over 70 articles and opinions piece. ha e been published in academic and professional journals. He is frequently consu lted by go vern me nt agencies and the medi a on in tern ational affairs.
Carlyle A. Thayer
Carl yle A. Thayer is Emer itu s Professor, The University of Ne w South Wales (UNSW) at the Au stralian Defence Force Acad em y (ADFA). He was educated at
Brown, Yale and The Australian Na tional University (ANU). He joined UNSW in
1979 and tau ght first in its Faculty of Military Stu dies at The Royal Military CollegeDuntroon until 1985 and then at University College ADFA. In 1993 he was a United Nati ons-accredited obse rver for the elections in Cambodi a. Thayer erved as Head of the School of Politics from 1995-97. In 1999, he was gran ted leave of absence ' in the nat ion al intere st' to take up a th ree-year appointment at the A ia-Pacific entre for Security Studies in Haw aii . He was then seconded to Deakin Univ ersity as their
On Site Academi c Co-ordinator for the senior defence course at the Cen tre for Defenc and Stra tegic Studies, Aus tra lian Defen ce College (2002-04). In 2005, Tha yer was appointed the C. V. Starr Distinguished
Visiting Professor of Southe ast Asian Stu d ies at the School of Advan ced In ternational Studies, Johns Hopkins University in Washington. In 2006-07 and 2010, Professor Thayer co-ordina ted Regiona l Security Stu dies at the Aust ra lian Command and Staff College. In 2008, he was ap poin ted the In augur al Frances M. and Stephen H. Fuller Distingui sh ed Visiting Professor of Southeas t Asia n Studies at hie University. In January 2011, Thayer was con ferr ed the title Emeritus Pro fessor by UNSW. He is curren tly Director of Thayer Consultancy, a small bu siness registered in Au stralia that provides assessme nts of cur rent politi cal, secu rity and foreig n policy developments in Southeast Asia. He also writes a weekly column
on ASEAN defence and security issues for The Dipl om at. Professor Thayer is the author of over 480
publications including Sou theas t Asia: Patterns of Security Cooperat ion (ASPI 2010), Vietnam People's Army : Devel opment and Modernizati on (IDSS 2009), Beyond Ind ochina (IISS Adelphi Pap er 1995), The Vietn am Peopl e's Army Under DoiMoi (ISEAS 1994) and co-editor of Vie tna mese Foreign Policy in Tran sition (ISEAS 1999 with Ram ses Amer), Bringing Dem ocracy to Cambodia: Peacekeeping and Elections (ANU and ADSC 1996 with VerbertoSelochan), and A Crisis of Expectatio ns: UN Peacekeeping in the 1990s (Westview 1995 with Ram esh Thakur).
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