(VNF) - About 40 Belorussian veterans, who helped Vietnam during the resistance war against the US in the 1965s and 1972s, attended an annual get-together held by the Vietnamese Embassy in Belarus.

More than 40 veterans were present at the meeting, of a total of nearly 100 people across Belarus and the list of more than 200 Belarusian soldiers who had been side by side with Vietnamese soldiers to repel bombings by American planes from 1965 to 1972.

Belarusian experts arriving in Vietnam at that time were mainly in units operating artillery, missile and aircraft. The young soldiers in the old days are now about 70 years old. These veterans wore medals and badges, honours presented by the Ministry of National Defence, the Service of Air Defence – Air Force of Vietnam with great pride. They were all cheerful because this was a rare opportunity for them to meet each other.

Ambassador Le Anh speaks at the meeting. (Photo: baoquocte.vn)

Vietnam is the only country with a tradition of organizing annual meetings and paying tribute to the Belarusian veterans doing international duty.

Speaking at the meeting, the Vietnamese Ambassador to Belarus Le Anh highlighted the great contributions made by Soviet Union veterans, including those form Belarus, to Viet Nam's victories during the past war against foreign invaders. He praised the veterans who had fought alongside the Vietnamese soldiers and people during the hard times of their struggle for national independence and unification.

Ambassador Anh affirmed that the Vietnamese people always remembered and were grateful to the Belarusian people for their valuable assistance to Vietnam. He also wished the Belarusian veterans health, happiness, and that they would continue to contribute to the Vietnam – Belarus friendship.

The veterans recalled the moving time when they worked in Vietnam and the rekindling memories they shared with the Vietnamese soldiers and people.

They also talked about visits to Vietnam a few years ago organized by Vietnam’s Ministry of National Defence for Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian veterans, who were received by the State President, the Minister of National Defence of Vietnam and visited places where they had been in and engaged in combat.

Colonel Uporov Dmitry, Deputy Director of the Department of International Cooperation, under the Ministry of National Defence of Belarus, confirmed that the friendship and the good cooperation between the two countries would further develop, including the military field.

Along with the veterans, the Colonel thanked the Vietnamese Embassy in Belarus for organization of annual traditional meetings and hoped that it would be maintained regularly.

“Our love for Vietnam is still intact and will be passed on to younger generations,” are words from the heart of the Belarusian comrades./.

Minh Phuong