The leaders of Vietnam and the US armies have reached consensus that the two countries will carry out agreed cooperative activities to promote the two countries’ defense cooperation. The agreement was made between the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the US Army, General Martin E. Dempsey and visiting Chief of General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA), Senior Lieutenant General Do Ba Ty at their meeting at the headquarters of the US Department of Defense in Washington DC on June 20. General Ty. who is paying a six-day official friendship visit to the United States at the invitation of Dempsey, said that “Vietnam attaches importance to developing its comprehensive relationship with the US, including defense ties.” Ty added that his visit is aimed at enhancing the friendship and mutual understanding between the two armies and lifting their defense ties to a new height to match their cooperation potentials. He suggested the two sides continue implementing cooperative activities based on the signed agreement on defense cooperation, including dealing with unexploded ordnance left over from the war, searching for the remains of US servicemen missing in Vietnam, and dioxin detoxification. The general told the US official that the Vietnam-US relationship, a constructive and multifaceted partnership based on friendship, mutual trust and equality, has been developing over the past time in the interest of the two countries’ people. In reply, General Dempsey affirmed that General Ty’s visit is a landmark in the relations, including defense ties, of the two countries. He also praised Vietnam’s initiative to establish the ADMM+ Experts’ Working Group on Humanitarian Mine Action.

The US official affirmed that the US will back relevant parties to solve disputes by peaceful means based on international laws, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. The same day, at a meeting with US Senator John McCain, General Ty asked the senator to make more contributions to developing the two countries’ relations for their common interests.

McCain affirmed his continued support for the two countries’ relations and spoke highly of the efforts of the Vietnamese people and army in national construction and development, contributing positively to maintaining peace and stability in the region and the world.

After ending his visit to the US, general Ty will leave for France for an official visit at the invitation of Chief of the French Defense Staff Admiral Édouard Guillaud.