The US House of Representatives has issued an official document on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the normalisation of ties with Vietnam, a rare move by the US Congress in its external relations with countries.

At a ceremony to celebrate the anniversary in Washington on February 10, Senator Jeff Falake presented the document to Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Nguyen Quoc Cuong in the witness of President pro tempore of the Senate, Senator Patrick Leahy, Secretary of State John Kerry and Senators John McCain and Tom Harkin.

The document noted that the US’s lifting of embargo on Vietnam on February 3, 1994 has ushered in a new period in the bilateral ties, paving the way for the establishment of the full diplomatic relations in July 1995.

It made it clear that the Vietnam – US ties have come a long way over the past 20 years and the two governments and peoples are continually pushing them forward.

While in the US last July, President Truong Tan Sang met and held wide-ranging discussions with five Senators and five Congressmen. Both sides were committed to further strengthening bilateral ties.

Congressman Eni Faleomavaega, who initiated the introduction of the document, said he was impressed with Vietnamese leaders’ vision and contributions to the development of bilateral ties at his meetings with President Truong Tan Sang last July and Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung in December, 2012.

He said he believes their mutual relationship will further flourish in the future.

Source: vietnamplus.vn/ VNA