The Vietnamese Ambassador to the US LeCong Phung granted an exclusive interview to the Vietnam News Agencyregarding former Lieutenant William Calley’s public apology on the masskillings in the Vietnamese community of My Lai during the war and thelevel of cooperation that both countries have had in addressing theconsequences of the war.

The interview ran as follows:

Question: The ambassador, can you comment on the first-time publicapology to the victims and their families by former Lieutenant WilliamCalley, the only US officer who was convicted in connection with themassacre of Vietnamese civilians in My Lai in 1968?

Answer: The My Lai massacre happened 41 years🍌 ago. It ꩵcan be said thatit is one of the most barbarous crimes the US committed to theVietnamese people during the Vietnam War. We think that it awakenedmankind and bolstered the anti-war movement which prompted the US toconsider withdrawing its troops from Vietnam and accept defeat.

In my opinion, Calley’s remarks, though late, is a good deed because hetalked about his remorse and his apologies to the victims, theirfamilies and Vietnam . Also, it’s not only just his own feelings. Ittruly reflects the thoughts of his fellow soldiers who had involved inthe massacre, and also the thoughts of a majority of Americans.Therefore, I think that although it’s rather late, it’s still verygood. It is another move that will help American people with aconscience perceive more clearly their responsibilities to the crimesthe US committed against the Vietnamese people. And now maybe they willtake more responsibility and work with Vietnam to address theconsequences left over by the war.

Q: What is your evaluation of what the US has been doing together with Vietnam to address the consequences of the war?

A: Since the Vietnam war ended, the two countries have worked togethera lot at m🉐ulti-level forums on overcoming the conseque𒁃nces of the war.The US administration, the American people, schools andnon-governmental organisations (NGOs) have also made significantcontributions to the process. However, it can be said that what the UShas done is not much and not enough.

In the capacity as a victim of the war, we have, right after thewar, helped the US search for those Americans still missing in Vietnamin a humanitarian spirit. In regard of this, the US administration andthe American people have highly valued the goodwill and tolerance ofthe Vietnamese people and the country’s leaders. On the US side, theyhave also cooperated with us to search for missing Vietnamese people,particularly in providing concerned documents.

They have also assisted us in clearing unexploded ordnance and bombsleft over from the war and in removing Agent Orange from contaminatedareas. A number of US organisations, including some led by Vietnamesepeople, have lent us a helping hand by providing medical treatment andassistance for people who have become handicapped by the war and thosewith disabilities caused by Agent Orange. There are organisations thathave worked with us for almost 20 years and the US public has showedgreat interest in ways to address the war’s consequences.

The US administration has paid a certain level of attention to thework. US organisations have sought every means and way they could tostep up bilateral cooperation, especially the US administration’scooperation, in settling the war’s consequences.

As I said at the beginning, the US administration has done a bit, butnot enough. On the other hand, they have been trying to evaderesponsibility for the crimes they have committed. For example, the UScourt rejected the lawsuit against the US producers of Agent Orangefiled by the world’s political circles and organisations and Vietnam .In my opinion, the US government should make stronger moves in thefuture. But we should understand that if Vietnam-US ties are growingfurther, there will be more positive signs in the cooperation betweenboth sides, especially in the US administration’s readiness forcooperation and support for war consequence settlement.

The US congress has reserved a certain amount of funding for theremoval of toxic chemicals. And relevant departments, including theDepartment of Defence, the State Department and US organisations arethinking of increasing financial assistance to settle the warsconsequences. I believe that Calley’s remarks and the current movementpursued by the Americans and US organisations, will make the USadministration, in the near future, become more aware of theirresponsibilities and no longer evade the crime they have committed.

Q: What is your position on the Vietnam-US relationship at presentand in the future? What are the main issues that need to be dealt within order to strengthen relations?

A: The Vietnam-US relationship has seen positive, if not very positivedevelopments over the recent time. Bilateral cooperation has beenstrengthened and increased in various areas, including security,national defence, economy, trade, investment, education and science andtechnology. I think that in the near future🅰, it will continue on theright track. I’m sure the new administration of President Barack Obamawill continue to increa🌠se bilateral cooperation with Vietnam .

We are preparing to celebrate the 15 th anniversary of thenormalisation of relations and the establishment of diplomaticrelations between the Vietnam and the US in 2010. Both countries arecurrently preparing for the event. We are now organising a visit to theUS by the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister. Both parties arediscussing a US trip by the Vietnamese Defence Minister and the US isalso preparing for visits by senior officials from the US Department ofState to Vietnam .

Both countries have a lot to discuss and prepare for next year, to keepthe impetus of our bilateral relationship going. Firstly, we have toimplement the agreements already signed between the two countries andagreements reached between Vietnamese and US leaders. Secondly, we haveto further strengthen cooperation on issues of common concern, for thebenefit of both parties, not only in bilateral economic, politic andeducation, but also on issues like climate change, anti-terrorism andregional security, especially as next year we take over ASEAN’srotating presidency. The US has recently moved to step up relationswith Southeast Asian countries, especially with ASEAN and its members.It is now even more necessary for Vietnam , when it takes the ASEANpresidency next year, to raise the level of our cooperation with the USin order to cement relations between ASEAN and the US . Therefore, theupcoming meetings between senior officers and agencies at all levelswill continue to discuss how Vietnam can perform its role as ASEANpresident as best as it can and how Vietnam and the US can furtherenhance relations between the US and ASEAN as well as the US’s linkswith the region.

I expect the US Secretary of State to come to Vietnam to attend ASEANmeetings and also visit the country next year when Vietnam will beASEAN president. If the US and ASEAN reach an agreement on top-levelmeetings, there is the possibility that President Obama would attendthe US-ASEAN summit and also visit Vietnam. Therefore, the Vietnam-USrelationship has developed well and there is relatively stablefoundation for it to grow. We can see that with the new Obamaadministration and with both sides committed, the Vietnam-USrelationship will certainly improve in the future./.