President: Vietnam needs int'l help in clearing mines

Hanoi (VNA) - State President Nguyen Minh Triet on Oct. 17 said that Vietnam needs help from international organisations in clearing mines and bombs.

He was receiving Peter Goldmark, a leading official of the Vietnam
Veterans of America Foundation (VVAF) and the global alliance for mine
action (GAMA), and CEO of GAMA Gilonne d' Origny, who attended an
international conference on climate change in Hanoi from Oct. 13-15.

President Triet welcomed the US organisations, saying that climate
change is a major matter of the world, including Vietnam , and that
Vietnam is one of countries suffering from heaviest damages caused by
climate change.

The Vietnamese government has promoted campaigns to raise people's
awareness about climate change and environmental protection, President Triet
said, adding that Vietnam has actively participated in international
conventions on climate change.

The President was pleased at the progress in Vietnam-US relations and
cooperation in various fields over the recent past.

He stressed that Vietnam had gone through several wars with bombs and
mines. Many of unexploded mines left from the wars have not been defused,
causing deaths and injuries to many people.

The leader highly appreciated VVAF's aid over the recent past and hoped
that VVAF and GAMA to continue with humanitarian initiatives and projects in
Vietnam , contributing to development of the two countries' friendship and
cooperation.

Peter Goldmark and Gilonne d'Origny said that the conference on climate
change, organised by the US-Vietnam Trade Council Education Forum, is a
valuable chance for the two sides to share experiences on measures to face
global climate change.

Goldmark hoped that Vietnam would take part in the negotiations for a
global agreement on climate change in 2009 and play an important role in the
process.

He affirmed that US businesses will be eager to help Vietnam to
develop environmentally-friendly industries.-Enditem