VN, US promote national defense cooperation

Vietnamese National Defense Minister Phùng Quang Thanh (L) and US State Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, Washington D.C, December 15, 2009 - Photo: VNA/Khắc Hiếu

In their talks on December 15, Minister Phùng Quang Thanh and State Secretary Robert Gates agreed that the armies of Việt Nam and the US will deepen their cooperation in various fields, focusing on sharing information and experience of training military students and observers.

The two sides discussed many issues relating to bilateral defense cooperation and ways to step up this cooperation.

The US Department of Defense thanked active and effective cooperation of Việt Nam in seeking for and collecting statistical information about US soldiers missing in action (MIA) during the Việt Nam War.

On this occasion, the Vietnamese side handed over the US plans for joint excavations at 13 sites in order to shorten the schedule of seeking for US MIAs in Việt Nam.

The two sides agreed to continue joint efforts in dealing with the war’s consequences, monitoring typhoons, and conducting search and rescue work in the sea.

The Vietnamese military delegation also had meetings with Deputy Secretary of State James B. Steinberg, Senators James Webb and John McCain, General James Jones, US National Security Advisory; and visited the National Defense University (NDU).

During these meetings, both the hosts and the guest were unanimous that the US and Việt Nam should strengthen their bilateral relationship in their mutual benefits and for peace, independence and development of all nations in the world.