Agent Orange Victims Hope for Answers

By DAVID THURBER Associated Press Writer

HANOI, Vietnam (AP)--Many of the children in Hanoi's Peace Village don't understand what caused their handicaps. Their mental development is too limited to know they might be victims of a defoliant sprayed by the U.S. military more than three decades ago.

But those that do comprehend hope researchers at the first-ever Vietnamese-U.S. conference on Agent Orange will find ways to help them and other possible victims.

``I heard the chemical was sprayed over Vietnam and caused people to have handicapped children,'' said 15-year-old Nguyen Thi Khuyen. ``I hope the scientists will pay more attention to children like me whose parents were exposed and help us.''

Hundreds of researchers from Vietnam, the United States and other nations are attending the conference to exchange information on the effects of the defoliant and its highly toxic ingredient, dioxin. The three-day conference that started Sunday stems from an agreement reached last year by the United States and Vietnam. The conference is being funded by the United States.

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