Washington - President Clinton, with little more than two months remaining in his presidency, yesterday began an Asian tour which includes a visit to Vietnam to cement ties with the former wartime adversary.
Mr Clinton's trip also includes a summit of more than 20 Asian-Pacific leaders in the sultanate of Brunei.
While at the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation summit, Mr Clinton will confer with the Russian President, Mr Vladimir Putin, and the Chinese President, Mr Jiang Zemin.
But the emotional highlight is certain to be Mr Clinton's visits to Hanoi, the capital of a unified Vietnam, and to Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon.
He arrives in Hanoi late on Thursday for talks on Friday and Saturday, before heading to Ho Chi Minh City on Sunday for a full day there.
