The working session between MOST and the delegation of the US’s Department of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Thomas Countryman said that the objective of his mission to 4 ASEAN countries was to discuss the issue of anti-popularization of nuclear, nuclear safety and other exterminating weapons. During the visit to Vietnam, the US discussed with Vietnam about two basic issues, which were to desire Vietnam to participate in the Initiative on Security of anti - nuclear popularization to share experience in order to prevent the spreading and popularization of exterminating weapons; and sign the Vietnam - US Supplementary Protocol.
Mr. Thomas Countryman affirmed that the bilateral cooperation relations between Vietnam and the US have developed strongly and steadily in many different fields. Vietnam has participated in the Initiative so that it could acquire experience and professional knowledge from 98 nations which have participated in this Initiative. At the same time, Mr. Thomas Countryman discussed with Deputy Minister Le Dinh Tien some cooperation issues against the popularization of serial exterminating weapons within the bilateral and regional framework before the East Asia Summit Conference (to be organized in Indonesia in the middle of November 2011).
Welcoming Mr. Thomas Countryman to visit Vietnam and work with MOST, Deputy Minister Le Dinh Tien emphasized achieved results in S&T cooperation between Vietnam and the US over the past time. Deputy Minister Le Dinh Tien affirmed Vietnam’s opinions about anti-popularization and then removal of serial exterminating weapons.
Vietnam’s consistent policy is to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. This is showed very clearly through the fact that Vietnam has participated in the most important treaties in this field as the Treaty on Prohibiting Comprehensive Testing of Nuclear Weapons, Treaty on Non-Nuclear Weapon Southeast Asian Region, signing the Treaty on Comprehensive Inspection with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA),… Regarding the participation in the Initiative on Security of anti-nuclear popularization, Deputy Minister Le Dinh Tien clearly stated that MOST would review, study based on the participation in this Initiative. MOST would consult opinions from Ministries and branches.
Deputy Minister Le Dinh Tien said that Vietnam – US cooperative relations have been strengthened, developed and improved to higher level. The two parties have signed cooperation agreements in the field of atomic energy and had a lot of efforts to promote cooperative relations in this field. The Deputy Minister desired that the two parties would soon sign Agreement 1 2 3, which is the basis for carrying out the cooperation in atomic energy between Vietnam and the US at a higher level. At the same time, the Vietnam side proposed the US support to develop the legal and regulatory documents and train human resource as training inspectors, training on providing software to check the accounting relating to the implementation of the Protocol. Vietnam hoped to have comprehensive support from the US in order to improve the staff’s capacities in the preparation of the implementation of the Protocol when it is approved.
Mr. Thomas Countryman said that the US, through the Energy Department, would be ready to provide technical support the Vietnamese side needed to improve capacities for implementing this Protocol. The US side would make utmost efforts to complete necessary procedures to re-initiate negotiation of Agreement 1 2 3.
Deputy Minister Le Dinh Tien wished Mr. Thomas Countryman’s visit good success, contributing to promoting cooperative relations between the two countries for the coming time.