Clinton live on Vietnamese television

President Clinton in an address to the people of Vietnam has called for reconciliation, urging them to work with the Americans to heal the wounds of war.

Speaking at the National University in Hanoi, Mr Clinton paid tribute to the soldiers from both sides who died in the conflict, which ended twenty-five years ago.

He said neither country could change the past but by embracing a spirit of reconciliation the pain could give way to a peaceful and prosperous future.

Mr Clinton praised the Vietnamese government for starting to open up the country's economy to the free market but urged a greater respect for political and religious freedoms.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service