US gives Vietnam $400,000 to plan clean-up of Agent Orange hotspot - Internati... - The Diigo Meta page

• 21 Mar 07
  

  Laura Lo Forti

  vietnam AgentOrange geo

• 11 Feb 07
  

  orientalist

  During a media briefing Friday, Marine said the United States has spent more than US$43 million since 1988 to assist Vietnamese with disabilities, regardless of the cause.
  
  Le Ke Son, the official in charge of Vietnam's Agent Orange research program, th

  Agent Orange U.S. govt Ford

  • The Associated Press  Friday, February 9, 2007  HANOI, Vietnam  The U.S. government will give Vietnam US$400,000 (€306,700) to plan a cleanup at a former American military base contaminated by the defoliant Agent Orange during the Vietnam War, the U.S. ambassador said Friday.  The grant marks an important symbolic step forward toward resolving an issue that has long divided the two former foes, whose relationship has warmed steadily in recent years.  The money will help pay for a US$1 million (€767,000) study of ways to remove the highly toxic chemical dioxin from soil at a former U.S. base at Danang, one of three Agent Orange hotspots recognized by the U.S. government. The Vietnamese government and a nonprofit agency will fund the rest of the study.  Dioxin is an ingredient of Agent Orange, a herbicide U.S. forces used to strip away jungle foliage during the war.  "I want to make clear that the United States government understands the concerns of the government of Vietnam and the Vietnamese people about the impact of dioxin on the environment and human health," said U.S. Ambassador Michael Marine.  The two countries have not decided when the onsite cleanup will begin. Marine said the U.S. will address any urgent needs encountered while a long-term cleanup plan is set up.  Washington and Hanoi have argued for years about Agent Orange's health effects on Vietnam's people, but the project announced Friday will not directly deal with that issue.  Vietnam says 4 million people have suffered birth defects or other health problems from the chemical. The U.S. says more scientific evidence is needed to determine the link between Agent Orange and the health of those exposed to dioxin.  During a media briefing Friday, Marine said the United States has spent more than US$43 million since 1988 to assist Vietnamese with disabilities, regardless of the cause.  Le Ke Son, the official in charge of Vietnam's Agent Orange research program, thanked the U.S. f

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