At least 25 Vietnamese witnessed the coup in Türkiye

Ambassador Pham Sanh Chau, head of the Vietnamese UNESCO delegation, informed from the capital Istanbul, Türkiye, on the evening of July 15, after the Vietnamese delegation finished the meeting of the World Heritage Committee (UNESCO), there was an incident of a coup by the Turkish military.

The Vietnamese delegation attending the 40th meeting of the World Heritage Committee consists of 25 people, including 4 from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 3 from the Ministry of Culture, 5 from Hanoi, 3 from Thua Thien Hue, 5 from Ninh Binh, 3 from Quang Binh, and 2 from Thanh Hoa. All are temporarily safe.

Vietnamese delegation attends the 40th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in Türkiye - Photo: Ambassador Pham Sanh Chau (gray shirt, middle) provided

“Vietnam is currently one of 21 members of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee. This is also the first term in the 40-year history of Vietnam joining UNESCO. The Vietnamese delegation cannot arbitrarily leave the country while 2,400 delegates from more than 150 countries are present in Istanbul and millions of people are watching the online conference to listen to Vietnam and other member countries discuss the work of protecting and promoting heritage values,” Ambassador Pham Sanh Chau added.

Previously, UNESCO announced that the Turkish government affirmed that it would ensure the safety of representatives of countries attending the meeting.

On July 16, Ambassador Pham Sanh Chau continued to update the situation in Istanbul, Türkiye. The Ambassador said that he had just taken a few hours of sleep in Istanbul. After the coup that lasted all night, the city is now deserted.

VOV.VN introduces to readers the entire article shared by Ambassador Pham Sanh Chau on Facebook (subtitle set by VOV).

A night of horror, chaos and trampling.

Hello Vietnam and World, we are safe in Istanbul.

Got a few hours of sleep after a terrible night. Woke up and quickly looked through the hotel window for the latest information. The city was deserted even though it was almost noon. We were in a conference at this time of day and the streets were usually bustling with people.

Last night, the UNESCO Secretariat sent an urgent email to postpone the meeting until further notice. The Vietnamese delegation was still safe in 5 different guests. The airport was open and a few planes were allowed to take off. Chairman of the People's Committee of Quang Binh Province Nguyen Huu Hoai and his colleagues in the Thanh Hoa delegation were still waiting at the airport.

The men had a night more terrifying than them with chaos and trampling. The haunting memory of the terrorist attack at the airport a few weeks ago that killed more than 40 people still weighed heavily on each of them. Director of Thang Long Imperial Citadel Tran Viet Anh reported that the Hanoi delegation had safely passed a night with the roar of planes shaking the windows.

Last night, memories of the time when Hanoi had to avoid American bombs came flooding back. The fear was not great, but the worry for each member made me restless. The delegation was large, from many ministries, provinces, and cities, including many Chairmen and Vice Chairmen of People's Committees, operating on a wide scale and taking the opportunity to meet many partners.

Turkish police block a military vehicle in the capital Ankara. Photo: Reuters.

Communications were intermittent. They were not familiar with the area. The coup forces deployed troops right near the convention center. The masses rushed into the streets following the President's call that "nothing is higher than the power of the people" and the square where we were in Taksim became a battlefield. It was no different from every coup in Bastille Square in Paris during the French Revolution.

In this time of trouble, we see how precious our fellow countrymen are!

The people surrounded the tanks, the soldiers returned fire. So far more than 80 people are believed to have died, more than 800 soldiers have been captured. An Admiral, 5 generals and 14 colonels have been captured. The situation is still not completely stable as the coup forces still occupy some barracks and, more dangerously, are still in control of some helicopters.

Not only Vietnam but also the governments and people of more than 100 countries are looking towards Istanbul because there are many Ministers, Ambassadors, Consuls General, diplomats and leading experts attending the 40th Session of the World Heritage Committee.

In this time of crisis, we can see how precious our compatriots are. The Commercial Attaché in Istanbul, Ly Quoc Thinh (very young, born in 1991), Vietnamese Embassy in Ankara, stayed up all night to update the situation and support the Head of the Delegation to determine the location and safety of each member. He is enthusiastic and dedicated.

In fear, anxiety and sometimes disorientation, faith is affirmed by young cadres like me.

Thank you to the whole country and the international community for caring about us. And thank you Thinh.

The sky in Istanbul was still very clear, not a cloud in sight and the weather was extremely pleasant. The prayers were still resounding loudly. We did not know what dangers awaited us behind that peaceful appearance.

Remember the wishes of the Sri Lankan Ambassador and other Ambassadors in Hanoi before the delegation left: "Be careful and return safely".

Hope to return soon!"

According to Ambassador Pham Sanh Chau/vov

FromIstanbul, Türkiye