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Vietnam war veterans in New Zealand have welcomed an offer to go back to visit the country and heal old wounds.
The invitation was disclosed by Prime Minister Helen Clark after talks yesterday with Vietnam President Nguyen Minh Triet, the first president from the country to visit New Zealand.
A spokesman for Veterans Affairs Minister Rick Barker confirmed that the Government had recently been approached about the proposal. Veterans Affairs New Zealand was talking with the Veterans Association of Vietnam and had yet to decide who would be included or how large the delegation would be.
It was likely to be held this year or early 2008.
Ex-Vietnam Services Association president Chris Mullane said that it would be interested. "There are some things to put right for our Vietnam veterans and families in New Zealand first and once they are put right then I think it would be good to establish some sort of reconciliation process with the Vietnamese from a veteran's perspective," Mr Mullane said.
Individuals and small groups of veterans had gone back. "Usually for those people it's quite a healing process so it's quite a good thing," he said.
A total of 3890 New Zealand soldiers served in Vietnam. Thirty-five were killed in action and 187 were wounded.
Mr Mullane said it would good if ongoing concerns about compensation could be resolved first.
Last year the Government announced a $30 million Agent Orange compensation package and apology for veterans and their families, but there are ongoing arguments about who should be entitled to ex-gratia payments as only sufferers of certain medical conditions are covered.
During talks in Wellington Helen Clark and Mr Triet discussed trade, education, defence.
- NZPA
