FM Spokeswoman on US Senator John McCain's use of "ill-will words"

Ha Noi, Feb. 21 The FM spokesperson, Ms. Phan Thuy Thanh was answering foreign correspondents' question on Viet Nam's comment on recent statements by US Senator John McCain, slandering that Viet Nam beat and tortured US prisoners as well as his usage of "ill-will" words when referring to the Vietnamese people in particular and the Asian people in general. Ms. Phan Thuy Thanh said:

"The US aggression war against Viet Nam caused a lot of crimes and sorrow to the Vietnamese people. It is Vietnamese people who have the right to talk about this. It is a chapter of saddness and sorrow in the history of the relations between the two countries. However, with the tradition of friendship and by pursuing a foreign policy of independence, sovereignty, diversification, multilateralization, being friends with all countries and striving for peace and development in the relations with countries that had been once hostile to Viet Nam, we advocate to setting aside the past, looking toward the future, and cooperating for mutual development. We think the US side understands this matter,"

"The fact Mr. John McCain uses such words and makes such statements that lack goodwill have hurt Vietnamese and Asian people. This statement is not worthy of a US Senator, especially one running for the US presidency. This obviously does not bring credit to him individually nor benefit the US foreign policy".