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Advocacy and Exchange Program on Agent Orange

The US-Vietnam Dialogue Group, June 2009

The US-Vietnam Dialogue Group convened for their fourth meeting during the first week of June, 2009 as they continue to address the problems associated with Agent Orange-Dioxin. This bipartisan, non-governmental initiative is supported by the Ford Foundation and is comprised of distinguished policy makers, scientists, and nonprofit and business leaders. Leading the Vietnamese side is Ambassador Ngo Quang Xuan, vice chair of the Vietnamese National Assembly's Foreign Affairs Committee, and leading the U.S. side is Walter Isaacson, president and CEO of the Aspen Institute.

On June 2nd, 2009, the US-Vietnam Dialogue Group on Agent Orange-Dioxin met for a day of consultations entitled, “The United States and Vietnam: Addressing War Legacy Issues Together.” This event brought together representatives from the United States and Vietnamese governments, NGO’s, and various other experts to discuss the wide spectrum of issues concerning the use of Agent Orange-Dioxin during the Vietnam War. The keynote speaker was the Honorable Scot Marciel, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Southeast Asia and Ambassador for ASEAN Affairs. The day ended with a press briefing to discuss the results of this meeting.

On June 4th, several members of the Dialogue Group, among others, submitted testimony in front of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs’ Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific and the Global Environment: http://www.internationalrelations.house.gov/hearing_notice.asp?id=1078.

The hearing focused on Agent Orange-Dioxin related issues and is only the second time such a hearing has taken place in front of a congressional committee.

Participants in the hearing included:

  • Ambassador Ngo Quang Xuan, Co-chair, U.S.-Vietnam Dialogue Group on Agent Orange-Dioxin, Vice Chair, Foreign Affairs Committee, Vietnam National Assembly – download testimony
  • Scot Marciel, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Southeast Asia and Ambassador for ASEAN Affairs, U.S. Department of State – download testimony
  • Charles Bailey, Director, Ford Foundation Special Initiative on Agent Orange-Dioxin – download testimony
  • Prof. Vo Quy, Center for Natural Resources & Environmental Studies, Vietnam National University, Hanoi – download testimony
  • Mary Dolan-Hogrefe, Vice President and Senior Advisor; National Organization on Disability; Director, World Committee on Disability – download testimony
  • Richard Weidman, Executive Director for Policy and Government, Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) – download testimony

Background Materials: