Radio Voice of Vietnam News
Updated : 11:56 AM, 02/27/2010

US war veterans laud Vietnam’s spirit of reconciliation

US war veterans have expressed their good impressions of Vietnam’s land and people, particularly the Vietnamese people’s spirit of reconciliation, according to a US-based Vietnam News Agency (VNA) correspondent.

A 29-member delegation of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) led by Barry Richard McCaffrey, retired US Army General and Professor of International Security Studies at the US Military Academy at West Point, and Jan C. Scruggs, VVMF President paid a working visit to Vietnam from January 11-17.

The visit aimed to learn about the situation in Vietnam, Vietnam-US relations, the consequences of war and issues relating to landmine clearance, unexploded ordnance disposal in post-war period and the landmine clearance project, RENEW, being carried out by VVMF in Quang Tri.

In his speech at a press briefing on February 26, Gen. McCaffrey said that Vietnamese’s spirit of reconciliation is in earnest and praised Vietnam’s great efforts to help the US with the search for the remains of MIA soldiers during the Vietnam War.

During its stay, the delegation visited Quang Tri, Thua Thien- Hue, Danang City, Quang Nam, HCM City, and the Cu Chi tunnels. It handed over some mementos of Vietnamese soldiers and announced the US Congress’s decision to allocate US$1 million to the RENEW project in Vietnam.

The delegation also met with Vietnam’s government officials, entrepreneurs, war veterans and students.

The VVMF is a non-governmental organisation, established in 1980. Since the first visit by its members in 1995, VVMF has launched practical activities to promote US-Vietnam relations and called on political circles, people and non-governmental organisations in the US to help Vietnam deal with the consequences of war.