General Secretary To Lam is heading to Washington

[Kien Pham]

Dear all:

The Vietnamese government finally announced that GenSec To Lam is on his way to Washington.  See news article below and pay attention to who is going with him.

If the man came home with the removal of non-market economy designation on Vietnam then I will pop open a champaign bottle and say "1, 2, 3 Dzo!" :-)

Best, kp

BEGIN:

Article published on Vietnamnet on February 19th, 2026, title: Vietnam’s top leader heads to Washington for Gaza peace talks

Weblink: https://vietnamnet.vn/en/vietnam-s-top-leader-heads-to-washington-for-gaza-peace-talks-2491440.html

On the morning of February 18, General Secretary To Lam departed Hanoi for Washington D.C. to attend the opening session of the Gaza Peace Council, scheduled from February 18 to 20, at the invitation of US President Donald Trump.

Accompanying General Secretary To Lam are General Phan Van Giang, Minister of National Defense; General Luong Tam Quang, Minister of Public Security; Hanoi Party Secretary Nguyen Duy Ngoc; Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung; Chief of the Party Central Office Pham Gia Tuc; Minister of Finance Nguyen Van Thang; Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam Nguyen Thi Hong; Acting Minister of Industry and Trade Le Manh Hung; To An Xo, Assistant to the General Secretary in charge of the General Secretary’s Office; and Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Nguyen Quoc Dung.

General Secretary To Lam will attend the inaugural meeting of the Council in Washington D.C. on February 19 as a founding member.

He and other Council members are expected to exchange views and determine the tasks the Council will undertake to implement a peace plan for the Gaza region in accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2830.

Vietnam’s highest-ranking leader’s participation demonstrates the country’s support and readiness to join collective international efforts for peace and development.

The visit also serves to realize cooperation commitments on international issues within the framework of the Vietnam-US Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

As a founding member, Vietnam hopes to work with other Council members to enhance the Council’s role in promoting peace and reconstruction in Gaza based on United Nations Security Council resolutions, ensuring the legitimate interests of all parties, particularly the Palestinian people, in line with international law and the United Nations Charter.

Ambassador Nguyen Quoc Dung emphasized that while the trip is part of multilateral activities, it also carries important implications for Vietnam-US bilateral relations.

President Donald Trump personally invited General Secretary To Lam to join the Council as a founding member and to attend this inaugural meeting.

The General Secretary’s participation reflects support for broader peace efforts and for the Gaza reconstruction initiative in particular, contributing to deeper cooperation between the two countries in addressing regional and global issues in the spirit of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

The Peace Plan and the Gaza Peace Council proposed by President Donald Trump are regarded as the most viable initiative since the outbreak of conflict in the Gaza Strip in October 2023, creating conditions for relevant parties to engage in dialogue and negotiations aimed at ending the conflict and moving toward a sustainable peace solution for the region.

To date, most invited countries have agreed to participate in the Peace Council, including those that signed the Peace Council Charter in Davos, demonstrating political support and commitment. However, they remain in the stage of studying and shaping implementation plans and have not yet made specific pledges regarding contributions or participation.

END.

Kien Pham
Imperfect Servant of the People
VN Mobile and WhatsApp: +84-98-5656-566

"You make a living by what you get and a life by what you give"

Sorry if you see typos.  This email comes from a blind man on mobile device!

[Mark Panella]

Thanks for this. Nice morning read after a night in my own bed!!!

Sent from my iPhone

On Feb 19, 2026, at 3:19 AM, Kien Pham <kien...@neverchange.com> wrote:



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[EGreenwall]

What glorious news!

The commitment of Vietnam and ALL its top leadership to supporting an international peace keeping force in the Gaza strip as a precursor to a lasting solution in and an independent but demilitarized self-determined government of that troubled area means a lot.

If GS To brings home a free trade agreement, this will be worthy of much more than a toast.  It promises the first step in intelligent US policy to unite Indochina and the Asean block in common purpose against a common threat.

Miss everyone.

E

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