Mother Reads Daughter's Vietnam Diaries... 35 Years Later

A US soldier saved Doctor Dang Thuy Tram's diaries after she was killed in the Vietnam War and, after all these years, her family read them for the first time.

Eighty-two-year-old Doan Ngoc Tram fell to her knees and sobbed Wednesday when for the first time she held all that remains of her daughter's life: two diaries written before she was killed during the Vietnam War.

US Committed to Vietnam’s WTO Accession

The US wants to see Vietnam’s accession to the World Trade Organization occur as soon as possible, and is committed to working with Hanoi to make it possible, a US diplomat said Tuesday.

"The US is also very much committed, as President Bush told Prime Minister Phan Van Khai in Washington, to Vietnam's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO),” said the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, Eric John, in a press briefing after arriving in Hanoi for a visit.

Vietnam, US Should Seek to Patch up Differences: Deputy PM

Vietnam and the US need to continue dialogues to solve differences to enhance bilateral ties, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan told the visiting US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, Eric John, Tuesday.

The two sides met during John’s Vietnam visit to discuss with Vietnamese officials issues of mutual concern, including law enforcement, healthcare, HIV/AIDS, avian influenza, and issues of religious freedom and human rights.

US Funds Anti-human Trafficking Project in Northern Vietnam

The US Embassy in Vietnam has agreed to provide US$14,976 for a project to prevent trafficking of women and children in the northern province of Thanh Hoa.

The project will be implemented by the local Women's Union between September 2005 and September 2006.

It will include training courses on preventing trafficking, vocational and business training for poor women, and distribution of handbooks and booklets on prevention of human trafficking, gender issues, and small business management.

US Lawyers to Help Vietnam Win Agent Orange Lawsuit

US lawyers said they will do their utmost to help Vietnamese Agent Orange victims win at a court of appeal, after their lawsuit against US chemical companies was dismissed by a US court.

"The verdict of the court in the first instance is incorrect. US troops used a toxic defoliant, not a normal one," local media on Sunday quoted Jonathan Moore, head of a visiting US lawyer group as saying.

Mekong Fishermen Donate $15,000 to US Brethren Hit by Katrina

A Vietnam’s fisheries association has collected almost US$15,000 to donate to fish farmers affected by the American hurricane, authorities reported Friday.

The An Giang Fisheries Association (AFA), in the Mekong Delta, will hand over the amount to the US Embassy in Hanoi to aid their brethren in the three hardest-hit US states, Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama.

The AFA chairman, Nguyen Huu Khanh, also sent a letter of condolence for the victims.

US Vets Hand over MIA Information to Vietnam

A delegation of the Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) presented Vietnam Tuesday with information on 93 Vietnamese soldiers missing in action during the war.

remain_256.jpgPresident of the Veterans Association of Vietnam Dang Quan Thuy said he greatly valued the operations of the VVA over the past years, especially its Veterans Initiative Task Force (VITF) program.

Vietnam Pledges Aid for Countrymen Affected by Hurricane Katrina

The Vietnamese government will provide assistance to Vietnamese-Americans in the three southern US states that have been devastated by Hurricane Katrina, a deputy minister has said.

Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Phu Binh, expressing deep concern over the situation of overseas Vietnamese living in Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi states, also extended his deepest condolences to the disaster victims.

Vietnam Donates $100,000 to U.S. Hurricane Victims

The Vietnamese government will provide US$100,000 in relief to victims of Hurricane Katrina, including overseas Vietnamese, Foreign Ministry spokesman Le Dzung said Thursday.

Dzung said Vietnam was ready to send medical workers to the storm-hit regions through the Red Cross.

He added that Vietnamese were deeply moved by the great loss of life and property in a number of US states, especially Lousiana, Mississippi, and Alabama.

President Bush's Message on Vietnam's National Day

On the occasion of Vietnam's National Day, President of the United States George W. Bush sent a message to President Tran Duc Luong of Vietnam. The full text is as follows:

Dear Mr. President:

I would like to extend my congratulations to you and the people of Vietnam on the occasion of Vietnam’s National Day on September 2.

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