Story highlights Obama's announcement includes money to locate and clear US bombs in Laos

More than 80 million cluster bombs could still remain in the country

Vientiane, Laos (CNN) President Barack Obama said Tuesday that US has an "obligation" to help Laos recover from a brutal secret bombing campaign that destroyed parts of the Southeast Asian nation.

During an address to the Lao people in the country's capital, Obama pledged $90 million in a joint three-year project with the country's government to clear tens of millions of unexploded US bombs.

"Villages and entire valleys were obliterated," during US bombardments, Obama said. "Ancient plains were devastated. Countless civilians were killed. That conflict was another reminder whatever the cause, whatever our intentions, war inflicts a terrible toll, especially on innocent men, women and children."

Obama is beginning a three-day stop in Laos. He's the first US president to visit to country.

The money Obama pledged Tuesday will be spent surveying the Asian nation for some 80 million unexploded cluster bombs dropped during a secret US bombing campaign as part of the Vietnam War 40 years ago.

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