Vietnam: In a legacy of war, a path to partnership

SUMMARY: This week, as we release To Walk the Earth in Safety, the Department’s annual report on U.S. support worldwide for clearing landmines and other explosive remnants of war, it takes me back to one of the most powerful and moving experiences since becoming Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security this year. In August, I traveled to Vietnam’s Quang Tri province, along what had once been the Demilitarized Zone between North and South Vietnam. There, I saw firsthand how survey and clearance projects funded through our Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement in the Department of State’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs are addressing a continuing legacy of the Vietnam War era, saving lives in local communities, and helping contribute toward a new era of partnership between the United States and Vietnam.