United States Treaties Vietnam

For four years, Hau Nguyen was imprisoned in Vietnamese re-education camps. On a diet of only three ears of corn a day, the former South Vietnamese army captain was forced to hike 10 miles into the jungle, chop trees into 14-foot sections and drag them back to be sold by the Communists for firewood.

The United States and Vietnam have reached broad agreement on a sweeping economic deal meant to turn the former military foes into trading partners, sources said Wednesday. Even as trade negotiators continued to work on a few technical details, the Clinton administration was turning its attention to plans for a signing ceremony that could take place within the next several days.

The United States and Vietnam have reached broad agreement on a sweeping economic deal meant to turn the former military foes into trading partners, sources said Wednesday. Even as trade negotiators continued to work on a few technical details, the Clinton administration was turning its attention to plans for a signing ceremony that could take place within the next several days.

For four years, Hau Nguyen was imprisoned in Vietnamese re-education camps. On a diet of only three ears of corn a day, the former South Vietnamese army captain was forced to hike 10 miles into the jungle, chop trees into 14-foot sections and drag them back to be sold by the Communists for firewood.

The last time Tung saw his brother, Tam, now 56, was in the final days of April, 1975, before Saigon fell to the Communist armies of North Vietnam. "I told him I was going to escape and leave Vietnam," Tung recalled Monday. "I asked him to come with me, but he said he couldn't go. He was a major in the South Vietnamese army and he said he had a responsibility to remain and ensure the safety of the South Vietnamese people."

While American relatives anxiously awaited word, 300 former Vietnamese political prisoners arrived here Friday on the first leg of a journey that will bring more than half of them to California, including more than 60 to Orange County.

While American relatives anxiously awaited word, 300 former Vietnamese political prisoners arrived here Friday on the first leg of a journey that will bring more than half of them to California, including more than 60 to Orange County.

The last time Tung saw his brother, Tam, now 56, was in the final days of April, 1975, before Saigon fell to the Communist armies of North Vietnam. "I told him I was going to escape and leave Vietnam," Tung recalled Monday. "I asked him to come with me, but he said he couldn't go. He was a major in the South Vietnamese army and he said he had a responsibility to remain and ensure the safety of the South Vietnamese people."