By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
HANOI, Vietnam – The past, present and
future came together here today during a meeting between Defense Secretary Leon
E. Panetta and Vietnamese Defense Minister Gen. Phuong Quang Thanh.
The two men used the shared history of
the United States and Vietnam to assess the status of military-to-military
relations between the nations and chart the future of the partnership.
The past was represented by the two men
exchanging artifacts of the Vietnam War -- the diary of a Vietnamese soldier
and letters written by American service members.
The present was represented by Panetta’s
historic visit yesterday to an American ship being repaired by Vietnamese
workers in Cam Ranh Bay.
The future was represented by plans the
men made to broaden and deepen defense cooperation between the two nations.
The meeting, held at the Vietnamese
Ministry of Defense, was a chance for both sides to assess the progress made in
the 17 years since the United States and Vietnam normalized diplomatic
relations. Panetta said the relationship between the two nations is based on
mutual trust and understanding.
The two men discussed the memorandum of
understanding on defense cooperation signed last year. The memo looks at areas
where the two countries can work together, and has been successful over the
past year, the Vietnamese defense minister said.
The two men agreed to expand cooperation
in five key areas. These are high-level dialogues between the two countries,
maritime security, search and rescue operations, peacekeeping operations and
humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
“I also noted in our discussion the
importance of our establishing an Office of Defense Cooperation to enhance our
cooperation in these areas and as a signal of the United States’ enduring
commitment to this important defense relationship of the future,” Panetta said.
The men shared views on how the United
States could work with the defense ministers of the Association of Southeast
Asian Nations to try to improve the maritime rights of all nations, the defense
secretary said. “We also discussed our shared commitment to a peaceful and
prosperous and secure Asia-Pacific region,” Panetta said.
The secretary expressed his deep thanks
for Vietnam’s long-standing efforts to help the United States resolve the fate
of those missing in action from the Vietnam War. “In particular I want to thank
him for his offer to open up three new areas for remains recovery,” he said.
“Our continued progress in this area --
as well as other legacies of war -- reflects … the growing maturity of the
relationship between the United States and Vietnam,” Panetta said. “I want the
general to know and the people of Vietnam to know that we will … do everything
possible to continue to work together to achieve our shared objectives and our
common goals. I believe that the United States and Vietnam can build a better
future not only for our people, but for the entire Asia-Pacific region.”
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