HANOI, July 9 — The Vietnam Office for Seeking Missing Persons (VNOSMP) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) have signed a Memorandum of Intent (MOI) on cooperation in improving the capacity and providing technical assistance for identification of remains of soldiers missing during wartime.
The signing ceremony in Hanoi on Wednesday was attended by Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, US Ambassador to Vietnam Daniel J Kritenbrink and Director of USAID office in Vietnam, Michael Greene, Vietnam News Agency (VNA) reported.
Under the MOI, the USAID will partner with the VNOSMP to fund a new three to five year, US$2.4 million projects, which aims to support Vietnam’s efforts to find and identify Vietnamese soldiers missing during wartime.
The USAID will provide Vietnam with the cutting edge technology for DNA extraction and analysis, work with Vietnam to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of their laboratories.
Speaking at the ceremony, Son said the MOI was signed on a special occasion when Vietnam and the US are celebrating the 25th anniversary of their diplomatic relations.
The two countries’ cooperation in searching for soldiers missing during wartime has played an active part in beefing up the bilateral ties over recent years and at the same time, helped both sides understand more about each other’s goodwill, thus fostering expansion of partnership in other areas, Son said.
Vietnam will continue actively and effectively cooperating with the US in this matter, he affirmed.
Sources: BERNAMA