News-Info-Alerts

To: ALL

From: Andi Wolos & Bob Necci

(POW-MIA InterNetwork)

Re: From Vietnam

Date: July 16, 2001

"Embassy of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in the United States of America

Vietnam-US cooperation in accounting for MIA

As of April, 2001

Cooperation between Vietnam and the US regarding the MIA issue now enters the 14th year. Since 1988 when the first joint field activity was conducted, previous administrations as well as the present one, many Congressional members and others have expressed their high appreciation of Vietnamís full-faith cooperation. Many in the US Joint Task Force-Full Accounting (JTF-FA) describe Vietnamís cooperation is the MIA issue as ìbest example.î

Here are four areas that exemplify excellent Vietnam-US cooperation.

Joint activities:

In September 1988, the number of MIA cases to be accounted for was 1,774. Since 1988 up to February 2001, the two sides carried out 63 MIA joint field activities (JFA), including 2,700 investigations and 388 excavations. At present, 1,496 cases still await final conclusion. However, 2/3 of those cases has already been investigated.

Vietnam has turned over 779 sets of remains, in 81 hand-overs, to the US side for further identification.

Every year, between 1996 and 2000, the two sides held 5 JFAs with 8-9 teams for each JFA (6 excavation teams, 2 investigation teams and 1 special investigation team). Due to more US MIA-related operations conducted in other areas than Vietnam, it is agreed that starting from 2001 the two sides will organize 4 JFAs annually; each JFA will have 8 joint teams (6 for excavations and 2 for investigations).

Unilateral activities:

Vietnam has conducted 17 one-sided rounds of investigation covering 284 cases and subsequently handed over to the US side 284 reports. So far, 159 MIA-related documents collected, compiled by Vietnamese experts have been given to the US side and US specialists had access to 28,000 relevant documents, samples, and archives.

Resolving discrepancies, investigating live-sightings reports and interviewing witnesses:

Joint investigations have been carried out on 196 individuals with 155 individuals concluded as dead, thus leaving the total number of discrepancies still requiring for further investigation to 41 (in 38 cases).

The two sides have conducted short-notice investigations on 130 reports/information of ëliving Americansí in over different 100 locations involving interviews of more than 500 witnesses. It was subsequently concluded that all the reports/information were false. Under the officials-interviewing program (OHP), American specialists have interviewed 245 Vietnamese officials.

Vietnam - Laos - US and Vietnam - Cambodia - US cooperation:

Vietnamese witnesses have been taken in 16 trips to Laos and 7 trips to Cambodia. They have helped locate the sites of 34 cases in Laos and identify 5 sites in Cambodia respectively. Also in this framework, Laotian experts have carried out dozens of trips to Vietnam to interview Vietnamese witnesses.

Continued efforts in this arduous but committed endeavor:

On April 7, during a site survey operation in preparation for the 65th JFA, a helicopter carrying 9 Vietnamese officers and technicians and 7 US officers crashed, claiming the lives of all people on board. This tragic accident was a heavy loss not only to the families but also to the two nationsí shared endeavors in providing answers possible to each and every missing personnel. President George W. Bush in his message to Vietnamese President Tran Duc Luong said their dedication ìstands as a testament to the cooperative humanitarian partnership that binds our two nations. "President Luong while asking President Bush to convey his deepest sympathy to the American families reaffirmed that ìVietnam will continue her humanitarian policy to help the United States obtain the fullest possible accounting for the American missing personnel."."