Socialist Republic of Vietnam

VIETNAM - U.S. JOINT STATEMENT

Hanoi - November 2006

President Nguyen Minh Triet of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam was pleased to welcome United States President George W. Bush to Vietnam. Looking back on the June 2005 Joint Statement by President Bush and then Prime Minister Phan Van Khai, both leaders expressed satisfaction at the progress the bilateral relationship has made, resulting in a US-Vietnam relationship today that is multi-faceted and forward looking. It encompasses significant and growing trade and economic ties, an emerging military-to-military relationship, successful co-operation on health, and development issues, growing cultural and educational links, a commitment to resolving remaining issues stemming from the war, a shared interest in ensuring peace, stability, and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region, and frank and candid discussion of differences. The two sides reaffirmed their efforts to ensure that bilateral relations are stable, constructive, broad-based, and conducted on the basis of sovereign equality and mutual benefit.
President Triet and President Bush applauded the historic milestone of Vietnam’s accession to the World Trade Organisation. President Bush reiterated his firm support for Congressional approval at the earliest time possible of Permanent Normal Trading Relations. President Triet confirmed that Vietnam would fully uphold the rules-based trading system embedded in the WTO and join other members in their efforts to create a level playing field based on fairness, openness, and transparency. He welcomed President Bush’s assurances that the United States would maintain open access to the US market and support Vietnam’s process of integration with the world economy. The two leaders anticipated an even greater amount of bilateral trade and investment, benefiting the people of both nations. President Bush also welcomed the Vietnamese leadership’s determination to accelerate the course of "doi moi" reforms, build the rule-of-law, and combat corruption, and held that such efforts are important for Vietnam’s economic vitality and favorable business and investment climate. The two Presidents looked forward to the signing of the Maritime Transport Agreement at an early date to further accelerate growth in the vibrant economic relationship.
President Bush and President Triet discussed the growing co-operation between the United States and Vietnam to address regional and global concerns. President Bush welcomed Vietnam’s active engagement in international affairs aimed at maintaining peace, co-operation and development in the Asia-Pacific region and the world, and noted his appreciation of Vietnam’s support for a denuclearised Korean Peninsula and the consensus views of the UNSC as expressed in UNSCR 1718. President Triet welcomed the reconvening of the Six Party Talks and expressed the hope that a peaceful solution for the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula would be reached.
The two leaders pledged to increase co-operation to halt the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and related technology and materials in accordance with international and national laws and each country’s capacities. They also pointed to the recent agreement on nuclear fuel replacement at the Dalat Research Reactor, and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the US Drug Enforcement Agency and Viet N am’s Ministry of Public Security, as examples of the diverse ways in which the two countries are workin g together to protect the safety and security of their peoples and others in the region.
The two leaders looked especially to co-operation on the health front as an example of the tangible benefits of the United States and Vietnam working closely together. President Bush praised Vietnam’s timely, effective, and transparent response to avian influenza in the country, which has prevented any further human outbreaks in Vietnam since October 2005. He noted that Vietnam’s efforts were a model for the region, and pledged continued US support in responding to the threat of avian influenza. As Vietnam is one of the focus countries for President Bush’s PEPFAR initiative on HIV/AIDS, the United States and Vietnam have also worked closely together to combat the scourge of this disease. The two leaders agreed to further strengthen the present positive co-operation. President Triet praised the work of the STAR initiative in Vietnam and the extension of this activity. President Triet also expressed appreciation for the US Government’s increasing development assistance to Vietnam and urged the US side to increase humanitarian assistance including through co-operation on areas such as unexploded ordinance and continued assistance to Vietnamese with disabilities. The United States and Vietnam also agreed that further joint efforts to address the environmental contamination near former dioxin storage sites would make a valuable contribution to the continued development of their bilateral relationship.

The two leaders agreed to further strengthen the present positive co-operation. President Triet praised the work of the STAR initiative in Vietnam and the extension of this activity. President Triet also expressed appreciation for the US Government’s increasing development assistance to Vietnam and urged the US side to increase humanitarian assistance including through co-operation on areas such as unexploded ordinance and continued assistance to Vietnamese with disabilities. The United States and Vietnam also agreed that further joint efforts to address the environmental contamination near former dioxin storage sites would make a valuable contribution to the continued development of their bilateral relationship.

President Bush explained the National Security Strategy of the United States which stresses the importance to world peace and stability of the development in every country of full respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. President Nguyen Minh Triet apprised President Bush of recently-promulgated laws and regulations on religious freedom that are to be vigorously implemented in all localities of Vietnam. The two leaders also noted the importance of continuing to make progress in the bilateral human rights dialogue and reaffirmed that it should be conducted in a comprehensive, constructive and results-oriented manner.
The two leaders expressed satisfaction with progress on resolving outstanding issues from the war and agreed that the two sides would continue co-operation in this respect. President Triet reaffirmed his Government’s continued efforts to assist the United States to ensure the fullest possible accounting for Americans who remain missing in action, through both joint and enhanced unilateral actions. President Bush reaffirmed US contributions to help obtain information on Vietnamese MIA cases.

The two leaders expressed satisfaction with progress on resolving outstanding issues from the war and agreed that the two sides would continue co-operation in this respect. President Triet reaffirmed his Government’s continued efforts to assist the United States to ensure the fullest possible accounting for Americans who remain missing in action, through both joint and enhanced unilateral actions. President Bush reaffirmed US contributions to help obtain information on Vietnamese MIA cases.
Presidents Triet and Bush discussed co-operation in regional affairs, and President Bush praised Vietnam’s hosting of APEC this year as a demonstration of Vietnam’s active and important role in promoting trade and economic liberalisation and strengthening security in the region. President Triet noted the robust engagement by the United States with ASEAN, and looked towards increasing that co-operation through the US-ASEAN Enhanced Partnership. The two leaders pledged continued efforts to seek mutual understanding on issues of regional and global concern.
The two leaders noted the importance of high-level visits between the two countries to the development of Vietnam -US relations in the future. President Bush invited President Triet to visit the United States in 2007 to continue these discussions. President Triet thanked President Bush and accepted the invitation with pleasure.
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Vietnam President Nguyen Minh Triet's Letter to U.S. President George W. Bush
(unofficial translation)

H.E. President George W. Bush
Washington D.C.
The United States of America

Hanoi, January 16 , 2007

Dear Mr. President,

I would like to express my sincere thanks for your kind words about the Vietnamese land and people as well as the success of the 14th APEC meetings in Hanoi. I am very happy that you and your spouse enjoyed the visit to Vietnam.

I highly appreciate the attention you have given to the approval of the Permanent Normal Trade Relations status (PNTR) for Vietnam at the U.S. Congress. This event marked the completion of the process of relations normalization between our two countries, opening up greater opportunities to strengthen the relation of friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and the United States, especially the economic and trade ties. I was also pleased with the outcome of our discussions during your visit to Vietnam. Our Joint Statement will serve as an important foundation for the two countries to enhance our multi-faceted relations in the time to come.

I would also like to take this opportunity to draw your special attention to our cooperation to resolve humanitarian issues left by the war. I highly value the U.S. Government’s recent decision to provide USD 400,000 to assist activities to address the environmental contamination near former agent orange /dioxin storage sites in Vietnam. This is a meaningful initial step, highlighting the implementation of the commitments we made in the Joint Statement. Humanitarian needs of Vietnam are enormous and urgent. Therefore, I kindly request that the U.S. Government take stronger and more concrete measures to assist Vietnam. I also do believe that, with your prestige and authority, you will help foster better understanding of the issue by the U.S. Congress and public, thus facilitating Vietnam to overcome the consequences left by the war soon.

On the occasion of the New Year, I would like to convey to Your Excellency and your family my best wishes of good health, happiness and success.

Sincerely,

Nguyen Minh Triet

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Vietnam President Nguyen Minh Triet's Letter to Former U.S. President Bill Clinton (unofficial translation)

H.E. Mr. William Jefferson Clinton
Former President of the United States
President of William Jefferson Clinton Foundation
New York

Hanoi, Jan 17 th , 2007

Your Excellency,

On behalf of the Vietnamese leaders and people, I would like to thank you and the Clinton Foundation for the support and assistance rendered to our HIV/AIDS prevention and control programs, especially for the Vietnamese children. I believe that the Letter of Agreement signed recently between the Clinton Foundation HIV/AIDS Initiative and Vietnam’s Ministry of Health will help provide better treatment to the Vietnamese children living with HIV/AIDS. I also hope that during the last trip back to Vietnam you had good impressions of our land and people.

Following our talks in Hanoi about the disease of this century – HIV/AIDS, I wish to share with you some other humanitarian needs of Vietnam:

Vietnam still has to deal with many problems in the aftermath of the war. At present, about 350,000 - 800,000 tons of land mines and other unexploded ordnance remain under the soil, especially in the Central and Southern areas. Since the end of the war, more than 38,000 Vietnamese have been killed and 65,800 others wounded by undetonated bombs, mines and other explosives. The U.S. Government has expanded its cooperation program for surveying the situation of land mines and unexploded ordnance in Vietnam. However, the clearance of these explosives requires tremendous efforts and expense beyond Vietnam’s capabilities.

In addition, Agent Orange and other toxic chemicals continue to seriously affect the life of the Vietnamese people. Millions of those previously exposed to Agent Orange/Dioxin have been infected with life-threatening diseases, and tens of thousands of their second- and third-generation offspring have suffered inborn malformation, thus living a hard life both physically and mentally. Every year, the Vietnamese Government allocates not a small amount of budget to assist these fellow countrymen. Major campaigns have also been launched to mobilise contribution to them from all Vietnamese walks of life, businesses and organisations. However, the assistance is far from meeting their needs. From the U.S. side, the Ford Foundation has taken the lead in easing the consequences of Agent Orange/Dioxin with its initial commitment of US$ 2.2 million. In particular, during the recent visit to Vietnam by President George W. Bush, the two sides made a Joint Statement, announcing that the U.S. will strengthen its assistance to the people with disabilities in Vietnam and in addressing the environmental contamination near former Agent Orange/Dioxin storage sites. Most recently, the U.S Administration announced a US$ 400,000 grant for a project on environmental rehabilitation in the area of Da Nang Airport. Vietnam welcomes all efforts by governments, charity organisations, companies and kind-hearted people to assist those affected by Agent Orange/Dioxin, and to detoxify the areas having large amounts of residues. We do hope that the U.S. Congress and people are well aware of the seriousness of this problem in Vietnam and consequently take suitable supportive measures as a humanitarian gesture.

In additon, Vietnam is in great need for assistance in environmental protection and control of severe diseases such as SARS, avian flu, malaria, etc.

I am deeply moved to learn that immediately after leaving the White House, you have devoted your heart and mind to charity works in support of needy people around the world. It is my sincere hope that, along side with HIV/AIDS control and prevention, you will consider activities in other humanitarian areas as I mentioned above to help the Vietnamese people. I also hope that, with your enormous prestige, you will encourage the U.S. Administration, Congress, companies, other charity foundations, non-governmental organisations and individuals in the U.S. and elsewhere in the world to assist Vietnam. As our past has showned, enhanced cooperation in humanitarian areas not only eases the pain inflicted upon both Vietnamese and Americans but also makes practical contributions to building empathy and friendly relations between our two peoples.

On the occasion of the New Year, may I wish you good health and success in your noble humanitarian work. May your family be blessed with happiness and wealth.

Sincerely,

Nguyen Minh Triet