The appeal was made by Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Gau, Deputy Minister of National Defense and Standing Deputy Head of the National Steering Committee for the Search, Recovery, and Identification of Fallen Soldiers’ Remains, during his meeting with U.S. Ambassador to Viet Nam Jennifer Wicks on October 21.
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Sr. Lt. Gen. Nguyen Van Gau meets with U.S. Ambassador to Viet Nam Jennifer Wicks. |
At the event, the Vietnamese defense leader welcomed the U.S. diplomat and other delegates on the occasion of the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense’s international scientific conference, “Empirical practices and technological advances in the DNA identification of martyr remains.” He also expressed his appreciation for the support and cooperation of the U.S., the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP), and international experts in preparing for and participating in the conference.
Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Gau proposed that, within the framework of the conference, the U.S. side help connect Vietnamese counterparts with experienced experts and organizations, particularly ICMP and the University of Georgia, to address practical challenges facing Viet Nam. These include testing degraded skeletal remains with low DNA content, ensuring the reliability of results, and linking information across the entire process, from the search for and recovery of remains to testing, DNA matching, and identification.
After the conference, he called on both sides to identify areas for immediate cooperation, linking scientific exchanges with training, technology transfer, and practical support at specialized facilities in Viet Nam.
The host emphasized that the U.S. had actively supported Viet Nam in overcoming the consequences of war, including cooperation in dioxin contamination remediation at Da Nang Airport and Bien Hoa Airport, as well as surveys and clearance of landmines and unexploded ordnance left over from the war.
For Viet Nam, the search for, recovery, and identification of martyr remains is an important part of addressing the consequences of war and a key political mission that reflects the country’s responsibility and commitment to those who sacrificed their lives for the Fatherland and their families.
As Viet Nam steps up its implementation of the 500-day campaign, Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Gau expressed his hope that U.S. support to this work would be translated into practical activities aligned with Viet Nam’s needs and priorities, helping build the long-term capacity of Vietnamese specialized agencies.
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Sr. Lt. Gen. Nguyen Van Gau, U.S. Ambassador to Viet Nam Jennifer Wicks, and delegates from both sides pose for a joint photo. |
He reaffirmed that Viet Nam would continue close cooperation and create the most favorable conditions for efforts to search for U.S. service members missing in action (MIA) during the war.
For her part, Ambassador Jennifer Wicks emphasized that addressing the consequences of war remained an important area of bilateral cooperation that both sides continued to prioritize. She affirmed that, in her capacity as ambassador, she would continue supporting efforts to connect U.S. agencies and partners with Viet Nam’s Ministry of National Defense in this field, while promoting bilateral cooperation under the Vietnam Missing in Action Initiative, in line with Viet Nam’s priorities.
Translated by Tran Hoai