Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Senior Vietnamese and US war veterans have pledged to strengthen their co-operation in the search for servicemen from both sides still listed as missing in action.

Lieutenan Genenal Vu Xuan Vinh, permanent member of the Vietnam War Veterans Association (VWVA)'s Central Committee, assured the visiting delegation of the US Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) of VWVA's plan to continue with its humanitarian activities in the search for US MIAs.

He took the occasion to provide the US side with recent information on a number of American MIAs.

During their meeting in Hanoi on April 19, the Vietnamese and American veterans discussed ways to bolster the two organisations' co-operation in the coming time.

Lieutenan General Vinh appreciated VFW's support for the normalisation of US-Vietnam relations in 1994 and its campaign launched in 1996 to encourage its members to collect information on Vietnamese soldiers missing in action.

Mr Vinh expressed his hope that the VFW will continue with its efforts to lobby US senators to reject the so-called "Vietnam Human Rights Act" which is hindering efforts made by both sides to build a relationship of friendship and co-operation between Vietnam and the US.

The VFW head delegate, Deputy Commander-in-Chief Raymond Sisk, expressed his gratitude to the VWVA for its co-operation in the search for American MIAs, considering it a human rights aspect that Vietnam has exercised.

He pledged to make more efforts to mobilise war veterans to become involved in the search for Vietnamese MIAs and to seek ways to assist the Vietnam Friendship Village where victims of Agent Orange are raised. (VNA)