A delegation from the Vietnamese Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin (VAVA) on May 23 met with Laotian Deputy Prime Minister, Senior Lieutenant General Douangchay Phichith, as part of their visit to Laos from May 22-24. At the meeting, the VAVA President, Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Rinh, who led the delegation, informed his host about the outcomes of the meeting with the Laos Veterans Association and a number of ministries and branches in Laos. He stressed the serious impacts caused by Agent Orange (AO)/dioxin as well as unexploded bombs and mines left over from wartime. In Vietnam, the US sprayed 80 million liters of the deadly chemical on 25 percent of the area of Southern Vietnam. The toxins destroyed millions of hectares of forests and crops, directly infected millions of Vietnamese people and had repercussions for following generations. Rinh said Laos is likely to suffer from the consequence of Agent Orange/dioxin and suggested that Vietnam and Laos work together to help AO victims and join with international efforts to ask the US to take responsibility for their actions. Sharing Rinh’s views, Deputy PM Phichith, who is also Laos Defense Minister said he was extremely moved when hearing about the suffering Vietnamese AO victims go through because of the chemical. He stressed his support for Vietnam in its struggle for justice for AO victims. The two countries should join efforts to campaign against weapons of mass destruction, said the Lao Deputy PM. (Vietnamplus.vn May 24)
