(VOVworld) – Professor Marvin Ott, a leading East Asia researcher, has told VOV that President Obama’s visit to Vietnam had clarified common perceptions of Vietnam-US strategic interests. He said that during the visit President Obama had created the most basic foundations for the promotion of Vietnam-US strategic security cooperation, which would focus not only on the East Sea issue but other others. Professor Ott said he was surprised at the warm welcome given by the Vietnamese to President Obama. He said President Obama’s address to more than 2,000 people in Hanoi was a summary of the 40 years since the Vietnam War. Commenting on the future effects of the 2016 Presidential election on Vietnam-US relations, he said: “In all the controversies that go on in the American political scene, not just in the campaign but also debates and congress, in the media, if you look for a big debate on US' policies towards Vietnam, I don't think you could find it. There is almost no debate at all. It's been an area of consensus across the political spectrum. And that's been truth for a very long time. So I don't expect that to change. And whatever happens in terms of the outcome of the election, there's gonna be lots of tumultuous conversations and debates, name calling and that sort of things. But I don't think the relation with Vietnam will be discussed. It will just be something everybody just agrees on.”

Professor Ott was a senior East Asia analyst at the Central Intelligence Agency and Deputy Staff Director of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.