AGENT ORANGE WAS LAST SPRAYED IN VIETNAM AND LAOS - THE HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES FOR THE PEOPLE LAND OF VIETNAM AND LAOS ARE STILL SEVERE

Your Excellency Mr. Chairman

Distinguished delegations

Ladies and Gentlemen,

On behalf of Lao National Veterans Federation. I am proud to attend the second international conference of victims of Agent Orange in Hanoi beautiful city of Vietnam. I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere thank to party, government and Vietnamese especially VAVA for warm welcoming and other accommodations to US and to attend the. great conference.

Friends,

Fifty years have passed since Agent Orange was last sprayed in Vietnam and Laos, the health and environmental consequences for the people land of Vietnam and Laos are still severe. And it is a wall that hinders the development of our countries.

In Lao PDR, Agent Orange was also sprayed by the US army, particularly in the central provinces sharing border with Vietnam which produced some large affects to the lives of Lao people and Lao territory. However, we still lack fund to carry out survey of the real impacted areas and people living in remote villages. To this regard, we will propose to the government to continue carrying out survey and providing assistance to the affected people.

On this occasion and through this meeting, I call for all parties to see the importance of justice and human right of the victims in Vietnam as well as in Lao PDR and other areas in the world. I call for cooperation from all parties to stop using Agent Orange and other chemical substance in the war and I also ask for kind assistance in form of providing fund and sharing experiences to be used in assisting the Agent Orange victim in Lao PDR.

Finally, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to H.E Mr. Chairman and wish all distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen happiness, good health and success in your life.

May I wish the second international conference of victims of Agent Orange be successful.

Thank you!

Somphon Keomixay (Laos)

Brigadier Gen, President of Lao National Veterans Federation