Calley’s apology will help the US realise its wartime responsibilities

Viet Nam News, (29-08-2009)

The Vietnamese Ambassador to the US, Le Cong Phung, talks to the Vietnam News Agency about former US Lieutenant William Calley’s recent public apology on the mass killings in the Vietnamese community of My Lai during the war and co-operation between the two countries since the end of the conflict.

Can you comment on the historic public apology to the My Lai massacre victims and their families from former Lieutenant William Calley, the only US officer who was convicted in connection with the massacre of Vietnamese civilians in My Lai in 1968?

The My Lai massacre occurred 41 years ago. It can be described as one of the most barbarous crimes the US committed to the Vietnamese people during the American War. We think the event awakened mankind and bolstered the anti-war movement, which prompted the US to consider withdrawing its troops from Viet Nam and accepting defeat.

In my opinion, Calley’s remarks, though late, are a good deed because he talked about his remorse and his apologies to the victims, their families and the nation.

Also, it’s not just his own feelings. It truly reflects the thoughts of his fellow soldiers who were involved in the massacre, and also the thoughts of a majority of Americans.

Therefore, I think that although it’s rather late, it’s still good news. It is another move that will help American people with a conscience more clearly understand their responsibilities for the crimes the US committed against the Vietnamese people.

And now maybe they will take more responsibility and work with Viet Nam to address the consequences of the war.

What is your evaluation of US co-operation with Viet Nam to address the consequences of the war?

Since the war ended, the two countries have worked together a lot at multi-level forums on overcoming the consequences of the war. The US administration, the American people, schools and non-governmental organisations have also made significant contributions to the process. However, it can be said that what the US has done is not much and not enough.

A victim of the war, yet we have, right after the war, helped the US search for those Americans still missing in Viet Nam in the spirit of humanitarianism.

The US administration and the American people have highly valued the goodwill and tolerance of the Vietnamese people and the country’s leaders.

On the US side, they have also co-operated with us to search for missing Vietnamese people, particularly in providing related documents. They have also assisted us in clearing unexploded ordnance and bombs left over from the war and in removing Agent Orange from contaminated areas.

A number of US organisations, including some led by Vietnamese people, have lent us a helping hand by providing medical treatment and assistance for people who have become handicapped by the war and those with disabilities caused by Agent Orange. There are organisations that have worked with us for almost 20 years and the US public has shown great interest in ways to address the war’s consequences.

The US administration has paid a certain level of attention to the work. US organisations have sought every means to step up bilateral co-operation, especially the US administration’s co-operation in settling the war’s consequences.

As mentioned before, the US administration has done a bit, but not enough. In some respects, they have been trying to evade responsibility for the crimes they committed. For example, the US court rejected the law suit against the US producers of Agent Orange filed by Viet Nam and backed by international humanitarian organisations.

We should understand that if Viet Nam-US ties are growing, there will be more positive signs in co-operation, especially in the US administration’s readiness in settling the consequences of the war.

The US congress has reserved a certain amount of funding for the removal of toxic chemicals. Relevant departments, including the Department of Defence and the State Department, are thinking of increasing financial aid to settle the consequences of the war.

I believe that Calley’s remarks and the current movement pursued by Americans will make the US administration, in the near future, more aware of their responsibilities and no longer evade responsibility for the crimes they committed.

What is your position on the Viet Nam-US relationship at present? What issues need to be dealt with to strengthen relations?

The Viet Nam-US relationship has seen positive, if not very positive developments recently. Bilateral co-operation has been strengthened and increased in various areas, including security, national defence, economy, trade, investment, education and science and technology.

I think that in the near future, it will continue on the right track. I’m sure the new administration of President Barak Obama will continue to increase bilateral co-operation with Viet Nam.

Next year, we will celebrate the 15th anniversary of the normalisation of relations and the establishment of diplomatic ties between Viet Nam and the US. Both countries are currently preparing for the event. We are now organising a visit to the US by the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister. Both parties are discussing a US trip by the Vietnamese Defence Minister and the US is also preparing for visits by senior officials from the US Department of State to Viet Nam.

Both countries have a lot to discuss and prepare for next year, to keep the impetus of our bilateral relationship going. Firstly, we have to implement the agreements already signed between the two countries. Secondly, we have to further strengthen co-operation on issues of common concern, not only in the areas of economics, politics and education, but also on issues like climate change, anti-terrorism and regional security, especially as next year we take over ASEAN’s rotating presidency.

The US recently moved to step up relations with South-east Asian countries, especially with ASEAN. It is now even more necessary for Viet Nam, when it takes the ASEAN presidency next year, to raise the level of co-operation with the US to cement relations between ASEAN and the US.

I expect the US Secretary of State to come to Viet Nam to attend ASEAN meetings and also visit the country next year when Viet Nam will be ASEAN president.

If the US and ASEAN reach an agreement on top-level meetings, there is the possibility that President Obama will attend the US-ASEAN summit and also visit Viet Nam

Therefore, the Viet Nam-US relationship has developed well and there is a relatively stable foundation for it to keep growing.

We can see that with the new Obama administration and with both sides committed, the Viet Nam-US relationship will certainly improve in the future. — VNS