The US appreciated the goodwill and close and effective cooperation of the Vietnamese Government and people in searching the remains of US servicemen who died during the war in Vietnam .
W. Winfield, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence for Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel Affairs (POW/MIA), made the statement during his working visit to Vietnam from May 19-22.
During his stay in Vietnam, Winfield was received by Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, Deputy Defence Minister Nguyen Chi Vinh and Deputy Minister of Public Security To Lam.
He also had a working session with Vietnamese agencies in charge of cooperation in search for the remains of missing in action (MIA).
At the meetings, the two sides agreed that their bilateral cooperation in this field in recent years has seen positive and practical developments, contributing to boosting the multi-faceted ties between Vietnam and the US . They also agreed to continue close coordination to maintain this cooperation.
The Vietnamese side acknowledged the US’s assistance in dealing with the consequences of the war, including the detoxification of the Agent Orange/dioxin, bomb and mine clearance, as well as providing information about Vietnamese soldiers who died during the war.
Vietnam also proposed the US side further increase humanitarian support, especially for victims and localities hardest hit by the war.
On the occasion, the US delegation had a fact-finding trip to two MIA excavation sites in central Quang Ngai and Thua Thien-Hue provinces.-VNA
