Deputy Foreign Minister Ha Kim Ngoc (Source: VNA)Washington D.C. (VNA) – Deputy Foreign Minister Ha Kim Ngoc led the Vietnamese delegation to the eighth political-security-national defence dialogue with the US in Washington D.C on August 3.
Ngoc asked the US to further efforts to help Vietnam in seeking the remains of Vietnamese soldiers missing in action during the war, in the disarmament of bombs, mines and unexploded ordinances and the environmental clean-up in Agent Orange/dioxin hotspots, as well as in support for war victims.
Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs Tina Kaidanow, affirmed that the US considers post-war recovery a priority and will continue supporting Vietnam in this issue.
She added that there remains room for strengthened ties across humanitarian support, search and rescue, and maritime security.
Bilaterally, both sides agreed to effectively realise agreements reached during President Barack Obama’s visit and discussed ways to make economic cooperation a focus of bilateral ties.
They also debated several economic and trade issues, including the US’s recognition of Vietnam as a market economy, a push for the ratification of the Trans-Pacific Partnership deal and easier conditions and technical support for Vietnam’s exports to the US.
On regional and global issues, the two sides mulled over the political-security situation in the region, including traditional and non-traditional security challenges such as terrorism; cyber security; and trans-national human, drug and wildlife trafficking.
The two sides looked into peaceful means, diplomatic and legal processes in line with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, in order to maintain peace, security, stability and settle disputes in the East Sea by arbitration procedures established in Appendix VII of the convention.-VNA
