Nguyễn Cơ Thạch (15 May 1921 – 10 April 1998; born Phạm Văn Cương) was a Vietnameserevolutionary, diplomat, and politician. He was Foreign Minister of Vietnam from February 1980 to July 1991.[1]
Thạch was seen as pragmatic and influential (given his representation in the Politburo).[2]
His time in office coincided with part of Vietnam’s transition from an ideology-based alignment to the Soviet bloc towards a pragmatic approach to foreign policy, including the primacy of economic over ideological considerations, integration into ASEAN and closer relations with non-socialist countries.[2]
However, Mr Thạch’s efforts to normalize relations with the United States were not successful.[1]
^ abPalmujoki, Eero (1999): "Ideology and Foreign Policy: Vietnam's Marxist-Leninist Doctrine and Global Challenge, 1986–96". Thayer, Carlyle A. & Amer, Ramses (ed.): Vietnamese Foreign Policy in Transition. Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, Singapore
