The testimony and answers from the State Department's East Asian and Pacific Affairs Bureau's Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary, Matthew Palmer, and the International Development Bureaux Asia and the Middle East Office for Technical Support, John Wilson, would ensure more information for lawmakers when considering more funding for AO-dioxin programmes, he said.

Although a non-voting delegate to the House of Representatives from the US territory of Western Samoa, Eni Faleomavaega is entitled to vote at committee hearings and chairs the chamber's Foreign Affairs Committee's Subcommittee for Asia, the Pacific and the Global Environment.

He called and presided at the first congressional hearing to discuss AO-dioxin and Viet Nam in May 2008 and the second in June 2009.

Matthew Palmer told the subcommittee that the US had worked with Viet Nam during the past several years to ensure that its AO-dioxin programme aligned with the country's health and environmental objectives.

"This co-operation has brought us closer than ever to the permanent elimination of dioxin at Da Nang Airport due to AO and has allowed us to provide much-needed assistance to vulnerable populations," he said.

"AO has long been a sensitive topic in US-Viet Nam relations, and we have had some past challenges reaching agreement on how and where to co-operate, but we are now transforming dialogue into tangible improvements in the environment and health of the people of Viet Nam.

"The United States Government has demonstrated a firm commitment on working to find a resolution to this lingering concern and to ensuring the continued improvement of US-Viet Nam relations," he said.

John Wilson told the hearing that Viet Nam still faced significant environmental and development challenges, including dioxin contamination "hotspots," despite its economic growth.

"While we celebrate the progress that we have made over the past 15 years, we also recognise that the US can do more, including dioxin remediation, which will have a significant benefit to our bilateral relations," he said.

The official asked congress to make a continuous commitment to dioxin remediation in Viet Nam and for his country to "be a leader on this issue and make a significant impact on the lives of many Vietnamese."

Viet Nam's witnesses

Viet Nam Association for Victims of AO-Dioxin (VAVA) deputy chairwoman Nguyen Thi Ngoc Phuong called for congress to continue the work begun by US veterans groups and other American NGOs.

The effort was needed to decisively heal the wounds of war for Viet Nam's more than 3 million AO-dioxin victims, she said.

It included:

Providing resources for comprehensive medical services as well as regular care;

Rehabilitation and educational services and facilities;

Funding to remediate those areas of Viet Nam that continue to contain high amounts of dioxin to stop as soon as possible the exposure of the people who live around those "hot spots"; and

Requiring the chemical companies that made AO to recognise their responsibility and help the victims.

"Timely and effective actions taken by the US Congress to help victims of AO-dioxin in Viet Nam are the final steps in healing the wounds of war as our two peoples and nations continue to build a relationship of friendship and peace," she said.

A Congressional Research Service memo to the subcommittee said: "The Vietnamese government has sought US Agent Orange-related assistance since the two nations re-established diplomatic recognition 15 years ago. "Initially, the US Government denied any legal liability to provide assistance, and questioned Viet Nam's assertions about the extent of environmental and health problems associated with AO/dioxin."

The agency found that although the US stance had created some tensions in bilateral relations, these had not been enough to prevent greatly expanded diplomatic, economic and military relations. — VNS