Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Nguyễn Quốc Dũng speaks at the dialogue. — VNA/VNS Photo

WASHINGTON DC – A Vietnamese delegation attended the third annual dialogue titled "War legacies and peace in Việt Nam, Laos, and Cambodia" held in both in-person and online formats by the US Institute of Peace (USIP) on October 11 and 12.

This year’s event marked a significant milestone as Việt Nam and the US are celebrating the first anniversary of their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and looking ahead to the 30th anniversary of the normalisation of diplomatic ties in 2025.

As the largest event of its kind to date, the dialogue gathered around 150 delegates, including representatives of the USIP, the US Congress, the Department of State, the Department of Defence, the US Agency for International Development (USAID), the US-ASEAN Business Council (USABC), policy advocacy groups, and non-governmental organisations; and diplomatic representatives from Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia; and researchers.

This year's dialogue focused on assessing the first year of the Việt Nam - US Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and the release of USIP's report on Việt Nam-US reconciliation.

Additionally, the dialogue featured panel discussions on various topics, including regional cooperation between Việt Nam, Laos, and Cambodia, and the US; an initiative to count the deceased and missing in the Việt Nam war; diplomacy and people-to-people exchange; support for the disabled and survivors in Việt Nam, Laos, and Cambodia; cooperation on exhibiting war legacies at the War Remnants Museum; progress in mine clearance and environmental rehabilitation; the Vietnamese-American community and war legacy; and transnational crime, human trafficking and online fraud in Southeast Asia.

Addressing the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Nguyễn Quốc Dũng underlined the effective cooperation between the two countries not only in addressing war consequences but also in other areas since the upgrade of the bilateral relationship to the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. He thanked the US side for sharing documents that have helped in the search for the remains of fallen soldiers.

Senator Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat and a member of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, announced that the Committee had passed a bill allocating US$73 million to assist with mine clearance in the three Southeast Asian nations.

He affirmed his commitment to work with his colleagues in the US Congress to support Việt Nam’s efforts and programmes in addressing post-war aftermaths, including clearing bombs and mines, aiding victims of Agent Orange/dioxin and children with disabilities, and searching for soldiers from both sides missing in action.

Hollen pledged to not only help heal the wounds of the past, but also strengthen cooperation with Vietnamese partners in tackling shared challenges at present and in the future.

Jed Royal, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs, stated that defence cooperation and shared security interests between the US and Việt Nam have been growing deeply.

The ongoing efforts to address war consequences, including searching for remains of US and Vietnamese soldiers missing in action during the war in Việt Nam, as well as the dioxin treatment and the disposal of unexploded ordnance (UXO), and raising public awareness of the dangers posed by post-war landmines, is a crucial aspect of defence cooperation, he said.

To date, approximately 700,000 unexploded bombs and mines in Việt Nam have been removed, and Việt Nam has assisted in identifying 700 American soldiers who died during the war and supported the repatriation of their remains.

Talking to the Việt Nam News Agency's resident correspondent, Dr. Phạm Lan Dung, Acting Director of the Diplomatic Academy of Việt Nam (DAV), noted that the event offered a venue to gain a clearer understanding of the remaining issues, and recognise the need for joint efforts in reconciliation and addressing the war aftermaths.

This year's dialogue created an optimistic atmosphere, paving the way for strengthening the bilateral relations, with both sides showing greater hopes for the coming year, she added.

The USIP's report on Việt Nam-US reconciliation is one of the most comprehensive and in-depth reports in this field to date, Dung remarked, noting that this study serves as an excellent resource for training and research in the reconciliation between Việt Nam and the US, and a good model for stakeholders involved in conflicts worldwide to draw lessons. — VNS