(VOVworld) – Vietnam and the US have reached international standards for cooperation in prisoners of war (POW) and missing in actions (MIA). The statement was made by Ann Mills Griffiths, Chair of the National League of POW/MIA Families, during her meeting with Vietnamese Deputy Defence Minister Nguyen Chi Vinh in Washington on Monday.
Vinh said searching for missing Americans in Vietnam is a humanitarian act to heal war wounds and build trust for Vietnam and the US to establish their comprehensive partnership at the moment and stronger relations in the future. He suggested that the US should fully acknowledge its responsibilities in searching for Vietnamese soldiers’ remains, supporting their families, and relieving war aftermaths like agent orange/ dioxin and unexploded ordnance clearance.
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| American soldier's remain returns home. (Photo: dantri.com.vn) |
Vinh said:"The program to search for missing Americans’ remains in Vietnam war has made great progress to comfort both people especially the Americans. We will do more than that as this program is of great humanity which symbolizes Vietnam-US relations".
Griffiths said the board’s operation has received support from Laos, Cambodia, and especially Vietnam. She added: "To recover and identify over a thousand remains – no one ever thought that we would be able to do that when it first began right at the end of the Vietnam war in 1975. So I think that what we have achieved is Vietnam and the US working together to set an international standard.
She added that the search for missing American soldiers in Vietnam has gained huge success and the US Government is aware that it is a cornerstone in bilateral relationship.
Vietnam has so far given back Americans’ remains for 125 times.