ADVISORY for 1-2 p.m. EDT Thursday, July 15 - Audio News Briefing on Agent Orange in Vietnam Prior to Secretary Clinton's Visit There

ADVISORY for 1-2 p.m. EDT Thursday, July 15 - Audio News Briefing on Agent Orange in Vietnam Prior to Secretary Clinton's Visit There

WASHINGTON, July 12 (AScribe Newswire) -- Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will be in Vietnam the week of July 19 for a meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). During her trip she is expected to have meetings with Vietnamese government officials. The trip comes as the United States and Vietnam mark the 15th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.

The U.S.-Vietnam Dialogue Group on Agent Orange/Dioxin, comprised of prominent citizens from both countries, has issued a Plan of Action recommending a 10-year effort to clean up "hot spots" of Agent Orange/dioxin at former U.S. military bases in Vietnam where the chemical was stored and handled during the war. Further, the Plan of Action urged policymakers to provide "humanitarian assistance" to Vietnam's 3 million disabled people, including at least 150,000 children, some of whom may have been affected by dioxin.

Such an effort would also promote exchange of best practices and information about dioxin's health effects so as to benefit the generations of affected U.S. veterans and their families.

The Agent Orange in Vietnam Information Initiative is sponsoring an audio press briefing to discuss Agent Orange/dioxin in Vietnam prior to Secretary Clinton's trip. Participating will be Bob Edgar, head of Common Cause and former head of the National Council of Churches, who recently led a delegation of U.S. clergy to Vietnam to inspect Agent Orange/dioxin hot spots; the delegation also looked at ways the Vietnam government is dealing with its disability population. Also participating will be David Devlin-Foltz, U.S.-Vietnam Dialogue Group on Agent Orange/Dioxin.
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Audio News Briefing on Agent Orange/Dioxin In Vietnam

Who:
Bob Edgar, President and CEO of Common Cause
David Devlin-Foltz, U.S.-Vietnam Dialogue Group on Agent Orange/Dioxin
When: Thursday, July 15, 1:00-2:00 p.m. (EDT)
How: Toll-Free Line: 800-344-6698, Pass Code: "Agent Orange"
To RSVP for the audio conference, contact Nancy Bennett at 800-834-1110
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CONTACT: Nancy Bennett, 800-834-1110
For a copy of the Dialogue Group's recommendations, go to:
http://www.aspeninstitute.org/policy-work/agent-orange/program-home/us-vietnam-dialogue-group-declaration-plan . In addition, fact sheets on Agent Orange in Vietnam can be obtained by going to http://www.aspeninstitute.org/policy-work/agent-orange .