{VOA NEWS / HANO}I—It was Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang who unexpectedly broke the news at a joint press conference with U.S. President Barack Obama in Hanoi after their bilateral talks. He said the United States is lifting its long-standing weapons ban on Vietnam.
Quang said Washington and Hanoi have agreed to strengthen their partnership in substance and in depth, making cooperation the cornerstone in military assistance, trade, health care and people-to-people exchanges. Quang welcomed the move as an end to a “painful chapter.”
When it was his turn, President Obama confirmed the news: “The United States is fully lifting the ban on sale of military equipment to Vietnam that’s been in place for some 50 years,” he said, adding “Sales will need to still meet strict requirements, including those on human rights, but this change ensures Vietnam has access to equipment it needs to defend itself.” READ MORE OF THIS STORY
