Minister of Defense Phung Quang Thanh confirmed with VietNamNet that his Amerian counterpart, Leon E.Panetta, is paying an official visit to Vietnam from June 3-5.
US Secretary of Defense to visit Vietnam




Speaking to VietNamNet on the sideline of the ongoing National Assembly session on May 24, Minister Thanh said that the visit will focus on bilateral relations in general and defense cooperation in particular. He also emphasized the recent development in Vietnam-US defense relationships.

What is the specific development that you mentioned? What is the center of the upcoming talk between you and your American counterpart in his upcoming visit?

The memorandum of understanding on defense that the two countries signed last year show steps of development when the two sides define five specific areas of cooperation: setting up a high-ranking exchange mechanism between the Vietnamese Ministry of Defense and the US Department of Defense, cooperation in marine security, search and rescue, research and exchange experience on peace-keeping activities of the UN, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

The two countries also cooperate in education and training. We have sent some trainees to the US to study army medical, English and techniques, but the number is not high. In terms of marine security, the US and Japan provide Vietnam with weather forecast information in the East Sea.

Will you and your counterpart discuss recently emerging issues in the East Sea, when the two sides talk about marine security?

I do not know whether my US counterpart will mention this issue or not but if it is discussed, Vietnam will maintain its current viewpoints.

For the marine route that is the second most important in the world, keeping a peaceful and stable environment in the East Sea is necessary. Vietnam’s police are maintaining a peaceful and stable East Sea. All conflicts must be settled by peaceful negotiation, based on international law, especially the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 and the Declaration of the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC).

The US states that they have interest in this region. Vietnam hopes that the US will have positive contribution to peace and stability in the region.

What is specific cooperation between the two countries, related to peace-keeping activities of the US? The US is willing to give technical assistance to Vietnam, what is Vietnam’s point of view?

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is responsible for compiling the plan on Vietnam’s participation in the UN peace-keeping forces. As I know, this plan is being designed. This plan will be submitted to the government for consideration and then to the National Assembly for approval.

However, this is a procedure and one of the most important issues is the amendment to the Constitution.

The Constitution 1992 may be added the following article: the army, besides the mission of defending independent, sovereignty and territorial integrity will contribute to protect peace in the region and the world.

Based on this change in the Constitution, by-law documents and polices related to the UN’s peace-keeping activities will be compiled.

In international cooperation, including with the US, in peace-keeping activities, our policy is learning and exchange experience in several areas, specifically bomb and mine clearance and army medical. We have exchange experience in these areas form many countries like the US, India, Malaysia and Cambodia.

The international media recently said that Vietnam and the US can make progress in commercial cooperation (weapon trading) as part of defense and security cooperation. Is it possible?



The US has not removed its ban on antipersonnel weapon against Vietnam and has not recognized Vietnam’s market economy. The bilateral relations are not completely normal. We have asked the US to remove that ban but the US Congress has not approved.

We do not have a large demand for weapons from the US. Firstly, our financial capability is limited. We only need to buy materials for weapons and technical devices that we collected, which are called war booty, during our war of resistance.

Naval exchange and cooperation between Vietnam and some countries have been implemented recently, when naval ships of the US and other countries paid visits to civil ports of Vietnam. What is Vietnam’s policy in this kind of exchange?

This is normal exchange activities. However, our policy is to welcome one visit from one country annually. Some countries want to exchange several visits of naval ships in one year but we still maintain the routine of welcoming one visit from one country in a year, at only three international seaports in HCM City, Hai Phong and Da Nang. These are civil ports.

On the occasion of the visit of US naval ships to Vietnam, some foreign news agencies recently reported that Vietnamese and American naval forces organized joint military exercise. It is wrong, causing misunderstanding.

Xuan Linh