At the signing ceremony (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – The VietnamAssociation for Victims of Agent Orange (AO)/dioxin (VAVA) and the JapanCouncil against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs (Gensuikyo) inked a memorandum of understanding(MoU) on cooperation in Hanoi on November 20.
The signing is to mark the 75th anniversaryof atomic bombing in Japan (1945-2020) and the 60th year of dioxin disaster inVietnam (1961-2021).
Under the MoU, the two sides will supporteach other in activities to raise global awareness of the losses andconsequences of atomic bombs and AO/dioxin.
They will also call on all countries toparticipate in and comply with the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons(TPNW) as well as the Biological and Chemical Weapons Conventions; and work towardsthe abolition of those weapons and the assistance for victims.
The signing is to mark the 75th anniversaryof atomic bombing in Japan (1945-2020) and the 60th year of dioxin disaster inVietnam (1961-2021).
Under the MoU, the two sides will supporteach other in activities to raise global awareness of the losses andconsequences of atomic bombs and AO/dioxin.
They will also call on all countries toparticipate in and comply with the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons(TPNW) as well as the Biological and Chemical Weapons Conventions; and work towardsthe abolition of those weapons and the assistance for victims.
In addition, thesides will work towards the 2020 Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)Review Conference and mark the 75th year of the atomic bombing in Japan. Theywill join hands to gather signatures in response to the call of A-bomb victims (hibakusha) on nucleardisarmament.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, VAVA CentralCommittee President Nguyen Van Rinh said peoples of Vietnam and Japan sufferhuge damage caused by the war and weapons of mass destruction (WMD).
The countries have helped each other to overcomeconsequences, he added, voicing his gratitude to the support from the Japanesegovernment, the country’s embassy in Vietnam and organisations and individualsfor Vietnam over the years.
For his part, Gensuikyo Representative DirectorHiroshi Taka expressed his hope that Japan and Vietnam could work together tobuild a world of peace without atomic bombs and WMD.
On the occasion, Gensuikyo providedassistance to Vietnam’s AO/dioxin victims through the VAVA.
The US army sprayed some 80 million litresof toxic chemicals, 61 percent of which was Agent Orange containing 366kilograms of dioxin, over nearly one quarter of the total area of southernVietnam from 1961 to 1971.
Preliminary statistics show that 4.8million Vietnamese people were exposed to AO/dioxin, and about 3 million peoplebecame victims. Tens of thousands of people have died while millions of othershave suffered from cancer and other incurable diseases as consequences ofexposure. Many of their offspring have also suffered from birth deformities./.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, VAVA CentralCommittee President Nguyen Van Rinh said peoples of Vietnam and Japan sufferhuge damage caused by the war and weapons of mass destruction (WMD).
The countries have helped each other to overcomeconsequences, he added, voicing his gratitude to the support from the Japanesegovernment, the country’s embassy in Vietnam and organisations and individualsfor Vietnam over the years.
For his part, Gensuikyo Representative DirectorHiroshi Taka expressed his hope that Japan and Vietnam could work together tobuild a world of peace without atomic bombs and WMD.
On the occasion, Gensuikyo providedassistance to Vietnam’s AO/dioxin victims through the VAVA.
The US army sprayed some 80 million litresof toxic chemicals, 61 percent of which was Agent Orange containing 366kilograms of dioxin, over nearly one quarter of the total area of southernVietnam from 1961 to 1971.
Preliminary statistics show that 4.8million Vietnamese people were exposed to AO/dioxin, and about 3 million peoplebecame victims. Tens of thousands of people have died while millions of othershave suffered from cancer and other incurable diseases as consequences ofexposure. Many of their offspring have also suffered from birth deformities./.
VNA
