VETERANS AFFAIRS SECRETARY NICHOLSON MEETS MOLISA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 001010 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE STATE FOR EAP/MLS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OVIP PREL PGOV SOCI PHUM KIRF VM SUBJECT: VETERANS AFFAIRS SECRETARY NICHOLSON MEETS MOLISA MINISTER AND PRESIDENT OF VETERANS ASSOCIATION OF VIETNAM HANOI 00001010 001.2 OF 002 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: On April 28, 2006 Secretary of Veterans Affairs James Nicholson, met in separate meetings with Minister of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) Nguyen Thi Hang and with the President of the Vietnam Association of Veterans (VAV),Lieutenant General (retired) Dang Quan Thuy. Minister Hang suggested that the United States and Vietnam could cooperate in the construction of a research institute on persistent diseases contracted by veterans, and in prevention of diseases like diabetes or HIV/AIDS in veterans, and on orthopedic care and the provision of prosthetics. In the VAV meeting, Lt Gen (ret) Thuy noted veterans' care is an area where both sides could share experience, and that Vietnam would welcome additional humanitarian assistance for problems related to unexploded ordnance or Agent Orange (dioxin),and that he hoped American veterans could encourage USG support for Vietnam's accession to the WTO. Secretary Nicholson thanked both leaders for their hospitality and insights on veteran's issues and conditions in Vietnam today. He extended an invitation to the minister and to the VAV president to visit Department of Veterans Affairs' facilities and see our research into prosthetics and injuries faced by veterans. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) The Secretary, accompanied by Ambassador, started his meeting with Minister Hang by thanking her for arranging his visit earlier in the day to a MOLISA-run Center for Severely Wounded Veterans in Bac Ninh Province. He noted that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in the United States provides care to American veterans who are similarly injured. It would be useful for the United States and Vietnam to exchange ideas on how to serve our countries' respective veterans better. For example, the United States does a great deal of research into prosthetics for amputees. The VA also plays a role in educating veterans about health matters in general, and how to prevent diseases such as HIV/AIDS and diabetes. The USG and the Embassy are willing to work with MOLISA to help educate Vietnamese veterans and the larger population about disease prevention. The USG is also assisting disabled Vietnamese veterans and their families through USG-funded centers throughout Vietnam, the Secretary described. SIPDIS ¶3. (SBU) Minister Hang said that Vietnam has many centers such as the one the Secretary visited earlier in the day. Although many severely wounded veterans are able to live and be cared for by their families, they are also able to visit these centers once a year for treatment, or more often if their injuries relapse. There are also cases in which veterans are suffering from wounds so severe that he or she cannot live at home and must live in one of these centers. Vietnam also has institutions to care for children who suffer from the "consequences of war." (Note: This is a reference to dioxin and unexploded ordnance. End Note.) The GVN works to ensure that its veterans receive health care and disease prevention education, and also has 15 centers that give orthopedic and plastic surgery treatment and manufacture prosthetics. Vietnam is very grateful for the support the USG and American NGOs provide for wheelchair and prosthetics manufacturing, Minister Hang said. ¶4. (SBU) The GVN always strives to treat its veterans with respect and provides them with both direct and indirect support, the Minister continued. MOLISA provides care to ten million veterans and civilians. On the occasion of the Secretary's visit, the Minister offered two suggestions SIPDIS regarding possible bilateral activities: -- The construction of an institute to research persistent diseases contracted by veterans; and, -- Cooperation to find ways to assist veterans in preventing diseases such as diabetes and HIV/AIDS, and cooperation for orthopedic care and the provision of prosthetics. ¶5. (SBU) Noting that, in the United States, veterans are afforded the utmost respect, the Secretary commended the minister for her and her ministry's efforts to provide care to Vietnam's veterans. To advance bilateral cooperation and understanding in this important area, the Secretary invited the minister or her representative to visit the United States and the VA to allow us to share our research on prosthetics, spinal cord injuries and brain trauma, and to show our facilities and introduce some of our own veterans. The United States commits many resources to the prevention HANOI 00001010 002.2 OF 002 and treatment of diseases and injuries faced by veterans. Minister Hang responded that she would be happy to visit or to have one of her representatives visit. ¶6. (SBU) The Secretary, together with Ambassador, next met with the President of VAV. The Secretary thanked retired Lieutenant General (Lt Gen) Thuy for the Vietnam's cooperation with the United States on efforts for fullest possible accounting of U.S. personnel missing from the war period, and also for VAV's support to that effort. This is an important issue on which both sides should continue to work closely. The Secretary remembered his own U.S. Army service in Vietnam's Central Highlands, and said that he had been looking forward to returning to Vietnam for 40 years. He noted that we must recognize our past, but embrace he future together. TheUnited States and Vietnam should look for more wys to cooperate, and he added that we have common goals: peace; prosperity; and creating opportunites for our citizens. ¶7. (SBU) The Secretary noed that the Department of Veterans Affairs wantsto help veterans in Vietnam as well as those fro all around the world and mentioned three areas inwhich USG and GVN could cooperate: -- Knowledge and work on prosthetic devices -- Treatment of spinal cord injuries -- Treatment of brain trauma injuries The Secretary described some advances sponsored by his Department in these areas, then said that the United States would be pleased to share developments in these areas with Vietnam. He noted that the General had visited the VA in the past and invited him to return for another visit to see these advances. ¶8. (SBU) LT Gen Thuy thanked the Secretary for his observations and the invitation. He replied that it is good for veterans of former opposing forces on the battlefield to have the opportunity to meet again as friends. He agreed that both sides should look for ways to cooperate and stated that when he went to the United States he found that the United States has a good system of hospitals and great experience in providing care to American veterans. He recalled that in addition to his visit to Washington, D.C., he also visited New York City, and Santa Cruz, California. He was well-received by several veterans' groups who all promised assistance to Vietnam. He claimed that no assistance, however, had yet arrived. ¶9. (SBU) The General continued that, just like the United States, Vietnam cares for its veterans, and both countries should share their respective experiences. The General noted that many Americans are very interested in POW/MIA issues and he has urged American veterans' associations to take part in resolving some of these issues. ¶10. (SBU) On the issue of fullest possible accounting, Lt Gen Thuy believes that Vietnam has turned over to the United States more than 800 sets of remains of American MIAs, but said that all the easy sites have been explored now and only the difficult sites remain. He said this effort is part of Vietnam's tradition of doing humanitarian work. He is proud of it and insisted that this tradition will continue. The General went on to say that long lasting consequences of war are very serious in Vietnam, including unexploded ordnance and disabilities caused by Agent Orange. Therefore, Vietnam would welcome any additional humanitarian assistance the United States could provide. ¶11. (SBU) The General closed by saying that Vietnam is eagerly looking forward to APEC 2006 summit including the visit of America's President. He said that he believes American veterans have a lot of political influence in the United States and he hopes that American veterans will encourage the USG to support Vietnam's accession to WTO. ¶12. (U) Secretary Nicholson's party has cleared this message. MARINE