Present at the event were representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Public Security, and relevant agencies and localities of Vietnam; leading officials and specialists of the VNOSMP; and Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh, member of the Party Central Committee, permanent member of the Central Military Commission, Deputy Minister of National Defense.
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Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh addressing the event |
Speaking at the ceremony, Caryn McClelland, Vice Ambassador of the American Embassy in Vietnam, thanked the Vietnamese Government and people for their supports in searching for US servicemen missing during the war in Vietnam over the past more than 30 years, and affirmed that the United States would continue cooperating with Vietnam in this issue and activities in overcoming war legacy in Vietnam.
Permanent Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son said that no other bilateral cooperation fields have achieved the level, scale, scope and duration as the search for US MIA soldiers. These cooperation activities have contributed to bringing peace to many American families, and helping the two nations understand each other’s goodwill, humanitarian policies and culture, he added.
Addressing the event, Gen. Vinh stressed that the searching activities over the past 30 years have helped not only surmount war legacy, but also open the door of cooperation to both countries. He also thanked the Governments, peoples, and relevant agencies of the two countries for their assistance; and expressed tribute for US and the Vietnamese personnel losing their lives during the search.
At the ceremony, the US Embassy in Vietnam and the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs presented insignias to Vietnamese officials, US specialists, and agencies and localities for their great contribution to searching for US servicemen missing during the war in Vietnam.
The VNOSMP was established after the Paris Peace Accords – an agreement to end the war and restore peace in Vietnam – were signed in 1973, with the task of seeking and returning the remains of US troops missing during wartime. In 1988, the two countries held their first joint activities in this issue. Over the past 30 years, the two sides have implemented 133 joint activities, returned 958 remains of US servicemen missing during the war in Vietnam.
Translated by Lam Anh