Douglas "Pete" Peterson (centre), a former prisoner of war and the first United States ambassador to Vietnam together with Vietnam's Vice President Nguyen Thi Binh (woman) and other officials stand for an official photo in front of a bust of the late president Ho Chi Minh following a ceremony at which Peterson presented his credentials, May 14. Hanoi and Washington normalised diplomatic ties in 1995, 20 years after the Vietnam war ended. Peterson's appointment was delayed by political and legal obstacles surrounding his posting.

VIETNAM USA