U.S. Eases Arms Embargo to Vietnam Amid China Sea Spats
Source: Bloomberg
By Bloomberg News October 03, 2014
Vietnam will be able to buy nonlethal weapons from the U.S. for maritime security after the easing of a decades-old arms embargo, at a time of territorial tensions with Communist neighbor China.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry informed Vietnam Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh, who is also foreign minister, of the decision during Minh’s visit to Washington. Deals will be done on a case-by-case basis, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in an e-mailed statement.
“This policy supports Vietnam’s efforts to improve its maritime domain awareness and maritime security capabilities,” Psaki said. “It makes it possible for Vietnam to receive patrol boats equipped with defensive capabilities that can conduct maritime security activities in the waters along its vast coastline.”
The partial lift of the embargo enhances military ties between the two former enemies about four decades after the Vietnam war, as China asserts its claims to disputed, energy-rich areas of the South China Sea. The arms embargo between the U.S. and Vietnam had been in place since 1984.
Read more: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-10-03/u-dot-s-dot-eases-arms-embargo-to-vietnam-amid-china-sea-spats
= new reply since forum marked as read
