Bilateral cooperation in education and science and technology is getting closer, reflecting the determination of Vietnam and the US to strengthen their relations, said Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Le Cong Phung.

 

On July 15, the Vietnam Embassy in Washington and the US Department of State celebrated the 15th anniversary of normalization of relations between Vietnam and the US.

 

The celebration was attended by former US President Bill Clinton, US Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell, senators John McCain, John Kerry and hundreds of senior officials and representatives.

 

Ambassador Phung reviewed the development of Vietnam-US relations over the past 15 years. He said annual meetings of senior leaders from both countries have helped to promote mutual understanding and set development orientations. Vietnam and the US have regularly conducted dialogues on politics, national security and defense and human rights.

 

Former President Clinton said he hopes that Vietnam- US cooperation in trade, education and humanitarian activities will continue to grow.

 

Senator Kerry, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, recalled his visits to Vietnam and praised Vietnamese people’s great efforts to reduce poverty and speed up the country’s socio-economic development.

 

Senator McCain acknowledged that Vietnam-US relations have grown strongly and called Vietnam one of the US’s most important partners in the Asia Pacific region.

 

Mr Phung thanked the American people for their contributions to strengthening Vietnam-US relations over the past 15 years for the sake of peace, stability and development of the whole world.

 

(CPV/VOV)