Quang Tri (VNA) – US Ambassador to VietnamDaniel J. Kritenbrink has highlighted effectively cooperation between his countryand Vietnam in clearing unexploded ordnances(UXO) left over by the war.
Speaking at an international workshop on cluster munition remnant survey methods in the central province of Quang Tri fromAugust 27-29, the diplomat stressed that the US is committed to dealing with war consequences.
On the occasion, the US diplomat visited the Truong Son National Martyrs Cemetery, where over 10,000 Vietnamese soldiers were laid torest.
Daniel is the first US ambassador to have visited the cemetery nearly 25years after the two sides normalized their diplomatic ties.
He also visited the Hien Luong Bridge relic sitein the Hien Luong-Ben Hai special national historical relic site, which expressesVietnam’s aspiration for peace and national reunification.
Participants to the workshop shared experience and defined issues that need to beimproved, thus rolling out the best ways and principles for cluster munition remnant survey activities.
Quang Tri is the provincehardest hit by UXOs with the area of land contaminated with the deadly warlegacy amounting to 82 percent of its total, and more than 8,500 local people havebeen killed or injured after the war ended.
The locality previously recorded about 70 bomb and landmine-related incidentseach year. However, in 2018, the province for the first time recorded noincident and it is striving to become the first locality of Vietnam free fromsuch incidents by 2025. -VNA