A delegation from the Vietnamese Association of Victims of AgentOrange/Dioxin (VAVA) on May 23 met with Laotian Deputy Prime Minister,Senior Lieutenant General Douangchay Phichith, as part of their visit toLaos from May 22-24.
At the meeting, the VAVAPresident, Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Rinh, who led thedelegation, informed his host about the outcomes of the meeting with theLaos Veterans Association and a number of ministries and branches inLaos .
He stressed the serious impacts caused byAgent Orange (AO)/dioxin as well as unexploded bombs and mines left overfrom wartime.
In Vietnam , the US sprayed 80million litres of the deadly chemical on 25 percent of the area ofSouthern Vietnam . The toxins destroyed millions of hectares of forestsand crops, directly infected millions of Vietnamese people and hadrepercussions for following generations.
Rinh saidLaos is likely to suffer from the consequence of Agent Orange/dioxinand suggested that Vietnam and Laos work together to help AO victimsand join with international efforts to ask the US to takeresponsibility for their actions.
Sharing Rinh’sviews, Deputy PM Phichith, who is also Laos Defence Minister said he wasextremely moved when hearing about the suffering Vietnamese AO victimsgo through because of the chemical.
He stressed his support for Vietnam in its struggle for justice for AO victims.
The two countries should join efforts to campaign against weapons of mass destruction, said the Lao Deputy PM.-VNA
At the meeting, the VAVAPresident, Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Rinh, who led thedelegation, informed his host about the outcomes of the meeting with theLaos Veterans Association and a number of ministries and branches inLaos .
He stressed the serious impacts caused byAgent Orange (AO)/dioxin as well as unexploded bombs and mines left overfrom wartime.
In Vietnam , the US sprayed 80million litres of the deadly chemical on 25 percent of the area ofSouthern Vietnam . The toxins destroyed millions of hectares of forestsand crops, directly infected millions of Vietnamese people and hadrepercussions for following generations.
Rinh saidLaos is likely to suffer from the consequence of Agent Orange/dioxinand suggested that Vietnam and Laos work together to help AO victimsand join with international efforts to ask the US to takeresponsibility for their actions.
Sharing Rinh’sviews, Deputy PM Phichith, who is also Laos Defence Minister said he wasextremely moved when hearing about the suffering Vietnamese AO victimsgo through because of the chemical.
He stressed his support for Vietnam in its struggle for justice for AO victims.
The two countries should join efforts to campaign against weapons of mass destruction, said the Lao Deputy PM.-VNA
