US lawmakers, veterans support lifting of arms embargo on Vietnam
Several American lawmakers and veterans supported US President Barack Obama’s historic decision to fully lift a decades-old embargo on sales of lethal arms to Vietnam.
President Tran Dai Quang (R) and US President Barack Obama chair a joint press conference on May 23. (Photo: VNA)
Washington (VNA) – Several Americ🔜an lawmakers and veterans suppor👍ted US President Barack Obama’s historic decision to fully lift a decades-old embargo on sales of lethal arms to Vietnam.
“Congress will work with the administration to ensure today’s more expansive shift in policy aligns with US interests”, said Republican Senator Bob Corker, chairman of the Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee.
Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy, the top Democrat on the subcommittee that oversees the State Department budget, stated that the decision to approve arm sales will be reviewed individually and should reflect an assessment of relevant factors.
American war veterans who served in Vietnam have also said they welcome the lifting of the ban, saying it was a logical step in normalising relations between the two countries.
Ned Foote, head of the New York State Council of Vietnam Veterans of America, welcomed the decision, noting that the Vietnamese had helped account for American soldiers missing in action in Vietnam.
“The war’s over… We’ve tried to build bridges to the Vietnamese”, said Bernard Edelman, deputy director of government affairs for the Vietnam Veterans of America.
Army veteran Willie Guzman, who served in Vietnam from 1969 to 1971, believed that, as commander in chief, Obama had the right to lift the embargo.-VNA
President Tran Dai Quang and his US counterpart Barack Obama chaired an international press conference in Hanoi on May 23 to answer reporters’ queries on the outcomes of their talks.
President Tran Dai Quang and his US counterpart Barack Obama discussed measures to step up the two countries’ relations during their talks following an official welcome ceremony in Hanoi on May 23.
President Barack Obama expressed his hope to establish long-term relations between the US and Vietnam on the basis of respecting each other’s political institutions and for their people’s interests.
Several foreign newspapers have carried news stories highlighting the ongoing visit to Vietnam by US President Barack Obama, during which he announced to fully lift the arms embargo on Vietnam.
Ha expressed his hope that cooperation in science and technology, agriculture, and natural resources would emerge as new focal points and engines of growth in Vietnam–China relations.
Giang said he believes that building on the solid foundation nurtured over the past half-century and the strong determination of both nations, the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership will continue to grow in a more robust, comprehensive, and extensive manner, thus bringing more practical benefits to the two nations' people.
Highlighting the transformative potential of the draft law in revitalising Vietnam’s railway industry, Hoang Van Cuong, a deputy of Hanoi, expressed his support for Article 39, which empowers the Prime Minister to issue a list of railway-related goods and services to be assigned or ordered from domestic enterprises for production.
According to the Ministry of Public Security, Hoan, formerly Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, is under investigation for allegedly taking bribes in connection with a case involving the Hoang Long Construction and Manpower Supply JSC and related units.
Chairing a national conference on the organisation of the examination on June 18, the PM highlighted the historical significance of the examination, as the restructuring of provincial-level administrative units is underway and the two-tier local administration model is set to officially begin operations on July 1.
Right on the same day, the ministry issued its highest-level travel warning, urging Vietnamese citizens not to travel to Israel or Iran, and advised those already in these countries to swiftly consider evacuation or relocation plans.
From the struggles against colonialists and imperialists to the period of Doi moi (renewal) and international integration, the Vietnamese revolutionary press has always played a pioneering role on the ideological and cultural front, he said.
The Party leader's working session with the standing boards of the Party Committees of HCM City, Ba Ria – Vung Tau and Binh Duong, the VNA General Director's remarks on the occasion of the 19th OANA General Assembly, the launch of new NIC - Google initiatives aimed at bolstering AI entrepreneurship and digital literacy in Vietnam are among news highlights June 18.
Vietnam and Indonesia reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation in combating terrorism as it remains a threat to peace, security, and stability across their respective nations, the broader region, and the international community.
The Vietnamese representative also emphasised the shared responsibility of relevant parties to build trust, enhance cooperation, and jointly manage the risks of conflict, thus safeguarding long-term peace and stability in the East Sea.
The National Assembly on June 18 passed the law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Product and Goods Quality, with 408 out of 420 participating deputies voting in favour, accounting for 85.36% of the total.
The Party leader asked the new HCM City to embrace a multi-centre and integrated urban ecosystem where each development pole functions as a link complementary to and intelligently connected with each other in a harmonious whole.
The resolutions issued by the PM as well as ministries and ministry-level agencies reassign responsibility for 346 administrative procedures - 18 from district to provincial levels, 278 to commune level, and 50 eliminated.
Legislators are due to pass several amended laws, including the Law amending and supplementing several articles of the Law on Economical and Efficient Use of Energy, and the Law amending and supplementing several articles of the Law on Product and Goods Quality.
Vietnamese localities' readiness to implement the two-tier local administration model, the evacuation of 18 Vietnamese citizens from Iran, Petrovietnam's 11th ranking in the 2025 Fortune Southeast Asia 500 are among news highlights on June 17 evening.
The General Secretary underlined the resolve to achieve a growth rate of at least 8% in 2025, laying the groundwork for double-digit growth in the following period. He noted that these are mandatory targets, with no alternative path to success.
Restructuring and improving the quality of officials, civil servants, and public employees is no longer a choice, but an urgent requirement to transition from administrative management to governance in service of the people.
The Vietnamese Embassy in Israel has advised Vietnamese people living there to proactively prepare and seek ways to leave the country via land border crossings, especially toward Jordan or Egypt, when security and safety conditions allow.
President Tran Dai Quang (R) and US President Barack Obama chair a joint press conference on May 23. (Photo: VNA)
