Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Six members of the US House of Representatives paid a visit to Vietnam on August 10-11 to discuss the two countries' bilateral relations, particularly drug control and child abuse.

The group, led by Tom Davis, Chairman of the Government Reform Committee met Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan and worked with the Committee for External Affairs and the Committee for Culture, Education, Youth and Children of the National Assembly on Tuesday. They also met Vice Minister of Public Security Le The Tiem the following day.

During their talks, the Vietnamese and US officials reviewed the progress in the Vietnam-US bilateral cooperation after the relations were normalized in 1995, which brought benefits to both sides in terms of trade, education, drug and trans-national crime prevention, anti-terrorism cooperation and military exchanges.

They pledged to conduct open dialogues on issues of disagreement.

The US visitors hoped to organize the return of more US congressmen to Vietnam on the upcoming 10th anniversary of the two countries' cooperative relationship next year.

Since the beginning of this year, Hanoi authorities have received several US senior figures, including the Commander of the US Pacific Army (USARPAC), Lieutenant General James L.Campell, Assistant of the US State Secretary, James Kelly, and Assistant of the US Department of Labor, Dr. W. Roy Grizzard.

With 152 projects worth a total $1.23 billion by July this year, the US ranked the 10th largest foreign investor in Vietnam. (The People Aug 13 p8, Liberated Saigon Aug 13 p1, New Hanoi Aug 13 p8, People's Police Aug 13 p2)