The first meeting of the Experts’ Working Group (EWG) on Humanitarian Mine Actions, under the cooperative framework of the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM+) Plus, will take place in Hanoi from June 17-20. The information was unveiled by the Vietnam People’s Army General Department of Politics at a press conference in the capital on June 12. Colonel Do Mai Khanh, Deputy Head of the Institute for Defense International Relations, said that the event will provide an opportunity for Vietnam to promote defense cooperation among ADMM+ member nations, in order to overcome the post-war bomb and mine consequences It will also help raise public awareness about the real situation, risks and responsibilities of nations and the international community in dealing with the issue to seek cooperation areas in line with each party’s interest and capacity, said Khanh. He emphasized that the first meeting of its kind will provide the foundation for international cooperation in the field, speed up the process of dealing with the consequences of mines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) as well as facilitating charity aid activities. Vietnam expressed hope that with the contribution from 18 ADMM Plus nations, effective solutions will be worked out to speed up the clearance of UXO in Vietnam. (Vov.vn June 12)
