The US Embassy will open a condolence book for late Senator John McCain who passed away on 25 August (US time) at the age of 81, the embassy and the Consulate General in Viet Nam announced on 26 August.

Senator John McCain (M) at a press conference in Ha Noi on the occasion of his visit to Viet Nam on 19 January, 2012 (Photo: AFP/VNA)

The book will be available for signing at the Vuon Hong Building, No 170 Ngoc Khanh Street, Ha Noi from 10.00am to 5.00 pm from 27 - 29 August.

The embassy said in honour of the contributions of the Senator and his long-time partner in US-Viet Nam issues – John Kerry, the US diplomatic mission in Viet Nam will launch the McCain/Kerry programme.

The programme will sponsor a study trip of a young Vietnamese official to the US each year, thus further deepening the relations between the two nations and promoting the constructive heritage of Senator McCain.

McCain was one of the first persons campaigning for the normalization of US-Viet Nam relations through promoting humanitarian issues such as removing unexploded ordnance left by the war, searching for missing-in-action personnel, supporting people with disabilities caused by the war, and detoxifying areas polluted by dioxin.

In 1994, the US Senate approved a resolution sponsored by McCain and Senator John Kerry, calling to end the economic sanction against Viet Nam, paving the way for the normalization of relations between the two countries one year later.

Following the normalization of bilateral ties, McCain and Kerry visited Viet Nam many times to address the issue of American missing-in-action soldiers (POW/MIA).

Along with pushing for the normalization of relations with Viet Nam, Senator McCain also supported the Vietnamese community in the US, serving as a bridge between them and the US authorities as well as the Vietnamese Government.

(Source: VNA)