Remarks by U.S. Ambassador Michael W. Michalak

Signing Ceremony of Memorandum of Intent between USAID and
Department of Science, Technology and Environment,
Ministry of National Defense,
for the Environmental Remediation of Dioxin Contamination at Danang Airport Site

Hanoi, December 30, 2010

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen.

It is a pleasure to participate in the signing of this important Memorandum of Intent between Vietnam’s Ministry of National Defense and the United States Government.

The document we sign today marks yet another important milestone in our mutual commitment to find innovative solutions to a complex problem.
This MOI for implementing the Environmental Remediation of Dioxin Contamination at the Danang Airport Site will help improve the environment and health conditions for thousands of Vietnamese citizens.

Since 2001, the U.S. Government has worked closely with Vietnam on the issue of Agent Orange/Dioxin.  Building upon previous efforts by the U.S. State Department, USAID, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2007 and 2009, the U.S. Congress appropriated a total of $6 million for dioxin mitigation and health activities in Vietnam.

In 2009, activities carried out with this funding included a comprehensive Environmental Assessment, required by U.S. law to carry out projects of this nature.  Concluded in June 2010, this assessment identified a number of strategies with potential applicability for treatment of dioxin contamination in soil and sediments. The assessment concluded that the thermal treatment alternative has the highest treatment effectiveness, the highest feasibility, the lowest potential environmental impact, and a cost in roughly the same range as the other alternatives.

In 2010, the U.S. Government has appropriated $16.9 million to commence a $34 million project to remove dioxin from the soil in Danang. The U.S. Government will carry out its remediation work in collaboration with the Ministry of National Defense, as the Government of Vietnam ministry responsible for remediation. The two governments are now jointly preparing for the design, procurement and implementation of the project.

This MOI confirms the mutual desire of both governments to cooperate on these efforts so that cleanup can begin in July 2011 and be completed in October 2013.

The United States and Vietnam have achieved a level of cooperation that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago. This is an excellent example of our ability to work together constructively to resolve war legacy issues and to build a partnership that continues to grow stronger.

I thank the Ministry of National Defense for working closely with us to enhance our cooperation in addressing environmental remediation at the Danang Airport.  We look forward to additional progress under this agreement that will further strengthen the partnership and goodwill between our two countries. Thank you.