US Senator John McCain expressed his impression on economic achievements that Vietnam has made since the normalisation of Vietnam-US relations and the signing of bilateral trade agreement.

US Senator John McCain in Hanoi (photo: Reuters/Kham).

“It has been more than five years since I last visited Vietnam, and on this occasion I am reminded again of the extraordinary strides Vietnam has made in recent years. Poverty has fallen dramatically, trade is up, living standards have risen, and Vietnam has normalized relations not only with the United States, but with much of the world. Perhaps emblematic of this progress – and of Vietnam’s future potential on the world stage – is Vietnam’s current membership on the United Nations Security Council. “

The statement was made by US senator John McCain at Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam on April 7^th 2009 during his on-going visit to the Southeast Asian country.

He added “This remarkable rise has been influenced, I believe, by the willingness here and in the United States to put the past behind us, and to embark on a gradual process of normalizing diplomatic and trade relations between our two countries. We began carefully with cooperation in the search for missing American service personnel.

That cooperation, along with Vietnam’s withdrawal from Cambodia and the end of the Cold War, fostered a new spirit in Southeast Asia, one that allowed the United States to lift the U.S. trade embargo in 1994 and normalize diplomatic relations with Vietnam in 1995. My friend Pete Peterson was nominated by President Clinton to serve as America’s ambassador in Hanoi in 1996.
The U.S. lifted Jackson-Vanik restrictions on Vietnam in 1998 and two years later signed a bilateral trade agreement with Vietnam – one of the most comprehensive bilateral trade agreements both countries had ever negotiated.

In 2003, for the first time in nearly 30 years, a U.S. warship, the USS Vandergrift, docked in the port of Saigon in Ho Chi Minh City. A ship of peace. And three years ago, the United States extended Permanent Normal Trading Relations status to Vietnam, paving the way for its entrance into the World Trade Organization. The same year, Vietnam hosted President Bush at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Hanoi. “

Senator John McCain wants to see increase in military relationship with Vietnam

“I am very impressed by the economic progress and increased trade between the United States and Vietnam since the two countries’ normalization of relations and trade agreement, and we would like to see the increase in the military relationship between the two countries,” said Senator John McCain during a press conference in Hanoi on April 7.

He suggested and encouraged Vietnamese military officials to attend defence universities, institutions and schools in the US, saying that the two countries should do more in exchanging the information concerning terrorism threats.

Mentioning the issue of Agent Orange victims in Vietnam, the US senator said that US had spent 46 million USD helping AO victims and find areas contaminated with dioxin.

According to the senator, things will continue to be addressed, in both the compensation of victims and the cleaning of contaminated areas.

Answering a question on the Vietnam – US relationship under the Obama Administration, he affirmed that the Obama Administration and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had committed to continue to improve the relationship between the two countries.

Attending the press conference, Senators Amy Klobuchar from Minnesota State and Lindsey Graham from South Carolina State highly praised the Vietnamese Government for its efforts to deal with climate change, saying that the issue is important to Vietnam to be addressed.

Senator Lindsey Graham praised Vietnam for its peaceful power development as one of the solutions to climate change.

Senator Amy Klobuchar also appreciated Vietnam for its preparation to join the Hague convention on adoption so that the two countries can improve and allow the adoption relationship.

VietNamNet/CPV