Kerry op-ed on current, past and future relationship with Vietnam

This week marks the 15th anniversary of the normalization of U.S.-Vietnam diplomatic relations. Our relationship has changed so much that, today, it is easy to forget that normalization was a painstaking – and sometimes painful – process that required vision, hard work, and compromise on both sides.

Twenty years ago, I was proud to join with my fellow Vietnam War veterans in Congress to help lead a process that culminated in normalization. We were a diverse lot – Republican and Democrat, liberal and conservative – and we had our differences over the war. What we shared was a determination to bind up the nation's wounds and forge a new beginning with a former adversary. We imagined a day when Americans would hear the word "Vietnam" and think of a country – not just a war.

The past 15 years have confirmed the wisdom of normalization. Vietnam has emerged as one of Asia's success stories. Its economic reforms collectively known as doi moi ("change and newness") have ushered in a period of rapid growth. Politically, Vietnam has long ended its estrangement from the larger region. This year, it serves as the chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) after completing a two-year stint on the United Nations (UN) Security Council.

Now is a time of great promise in U.S.-Vietnam relations. But to help realize our partnership's full potential, we need to build on our existing efforts in three areas: education, the environment, and security.

Senator John Kerry- an enthusiastic supporter of the normalization- reviewed efforts made by the two governments during the past two decades towards normalising ties.

He described Vietnam’s cooperation in the search for US servicemen missing in action during the Vietnam War, as an important factor in bilateral relations.

The senator said he had a profound impression of looking back through the entire history of US-Vietnam ties and congratulated Vietnam on successes it has recorded in the renewal process.

He noted that for the American people, Vietnam is presently not a war, but a country and a friend.