A delegation led by Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh on August 16 presented VND3.24 billion to the Vietnam Association for Victims of Agent Orange and Dioxin (VAVA) Central Committee as support for AO/dioxin victims. The sum was donated by cadres from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), overseas Vietnamese, and Vietnamese students studying and working abroad. On behalf of Vietnamese AO victims, VAVA President, Senior Lieutenant-General, Nguyen Van Rinh, thanked the donors for sharing their sympathy, adding that this is a great source of encouragement that helps AO victims overcome the difficulties they face in their lives. In his speech, Minister Minh said issues related to AO and its victims are always topics of discussion between Vietnamese senior delegations and concerned parties. The MOFA has coordinated closely with VAVA in the struggle to deal with the consequences of the AO catastrophe and seek justice for the victims. The plight of Vietnamese AO victims has captured international public sentiment. Malaysia and India have offered to provide wheelchairs and scholarships for the children of AO victims. The Foreign Minister said he hopes there will be more international support in the future for Vietnam in this struggle. (vovnews.vn Aug 16)
