Hanoi (VNA) – Post-war recovery cooperation is the best way that helps Vietnam and the US heal the wound of war, contributing to building trust and expanding the bilateral collaboration in many other fields, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ha Kim Ngoc said on June 26.
Hosting a reception for US Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City Susan Burns, the Vietnamese diplomat stressed that cooperation on addressing war consequences is an important pillar of the Vietnam - US Comprehensive Strategic Partnership which was set up in September last year.
Vietnam has been working closely with the US to search for the US servicemen missing in action in the Southeast Asian country in the spirit of humanity and the policy of leaving the past behind and working towards the future, he said, noting Vietnam welcomes the US’s enhanced cooperation in overcoming war consequences.
Burns, for her part, thanked the Vietnamese Government and people for their cooperation in the search for and repatriation of the remains of the missing US servicemen, saying the humanitarian activity has been helping build up trust and promoting bilateral relations.
The US Government commits to continuing support for Vietnam in war aftermath settlement, particularly the thorough dioxin remediation at Bien Hoa Air Base and DNA testing technology transfer to identify Vietnamese martyrs’ remains, she said.
The same day, Ngoc and Burns attended the 165th handover of the US servicemen’s remains at the Da Nang International Airport in central Da Nang city.
Cooperation in searching for and repatriating remains of missing-in-action US servicemen has been carried out as soon as the Paris Peace Accords was signed on January 27, 1973. Over the past 50 years, Vietnam has handed over remains of more than 1,000 US servicemen and helped the US identify over 730 cases./.
