An AO/dioxin victim (Photo: VNA)

(VOVworld) - A national symposium was held in Hanoi on Wednesday seeking to fortify legal grounds to demand the US government and chemical companies take responsibility for the consequences of the Agent Orange that was sprayed on Vietnam during the American war.

Scientists touched upon the correlation between Agent Orange, which contains toxic dioxin, and the illnesses suffered by its victims. They also explored issues related to the responsibilities of government contractors and the legal responsibility of the US in using the chemical during the war.

Doctor Tran Ngoc Tam, from the Vietnam Association for Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin, said that the harmful effects of the toxic chemical on the environment, ecosystem, and people were an undeniable reality. The correlation between Agent Orange and the diseases suffered by those who had been exposed to it has been made clear.

Professor Nong Van Hai from the Genetic Technology Institute said the Vietnamese AO victims’ unfinished lawsuit which is lodged in the US, had been an initial success in efforts to raise public awareness of the long-lasting impact of Agent Orange on people and the environment.

Hosted by the Institute of State and Law of the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, the event brought together local scientists and those who had taken part in the lawsuit filed by Vietnamese AO victims in the US.