Vietnam overcoming hatred of the past: prime minister HANOI - Vietnam is gradually putting its hate-filled past behind it, Prime Minister Phan Van Khai said Saturday at a Hanoi meeting celebrating the 25th anniversary of the end of the war. "The consequences of the war remain, but we are overcoming the hatred of the past and looking towards the future," Khai said to a gathering of Vietnamese leaders at Ba Dinh in the heart of the capital city. "Many of our soldiers died (for their country)" but, 25 years on, "their remains haven't been found," the Prime Minister said. "The glorious victory of 1975 was the pinnacle of our struggle to reunify the country and gave us a lesson in defending and rebuilding Vietnam," Khai said, as an orchestra played the north Vietnamese military march. At the end of the campaign by Ho Chi Minh, founder of communist Vietnam, Hanoi soldiers captured Saigon, the capital of pro-America south Vietnam, on April 30, 1975, marking the end of one of the bloodiest conflicts of the 20th century. "Vietnam respects the sentiments of progressive Americans, both the young who protested against the war and contributed to its end and those who today are developing relations between the two countries," the prime minister said. "The countries who fought with them in the war have their own responsibilities in resolving the consequences of the war. "Vietnam acknowledges that the governments of some countries are aware of their responsibilities in cooperating with us." The prime minister also "sincerely" thanked the support and aid given to Vietnam by governments of former socialist countries, "particularly those of the former USSR and China. "The people of Vietnam will never forget that vital support and will always be grateful," Khai added. Khai has for a long time called for a "national union," encouraging patriotism in a bid to control corruption and bureaucracy. "The communist party of Vietnam is working towards reviving our country. "Our most important task today is to conquer poverty and rebuild the economy while maintaining our independence and the foundations of Marxist-Leninist socialism and the beliefs of Ho Chi Minh," the prime minister concluded. Secretary general of the communist party Le Kha Phieu, republic president Tran Duc Luong and president of the national assembly Nong Duc Manh were present at the celebrations, along with the majority of government leaders. AFP - April 29, 2000.