THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE OF FREE TRADE AND FREE IDEAS REVERBERATES AFTER HIS VISIT TO VIETNAM

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 06 HANOI 002667

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STATE FOR S/S, P, E, S/P, S/PICW
STATE ALSO FOR EAP ROTH, EAP/BCLTV, DRL, EB, INR
CONFIDENTIAL

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STATE PASS USTR BARSHEFSKY
STATE PASS USAID FOR AA RANDOLPH
WHITE HOUSE FOR BERGER, SPERLING AND PODESTA
WHITE HOUSE FOR OFFICE OF THE FIRST LADY
WHITE HOUSE FOR NSC PRITCHARD, NEC ROSEN
NSC FOR LIEBERTHAL, CHRISTY AND SCHWARTZ
USDOC FOR 4431/MAC/AP/OKSA/HPPHO
TREASURY FOR OASIA
SECDEF FOR ISA/EAP STERN
USCINCPAC FOR TWINING
USDA FOR FAA/AO/SHUETE
PARIS FOR SUE BREMNER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/4/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM ECON PINR VM DPOL
SUBJECT: THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE OF FREE TRADE AND FREE IDEAS REVERBERATES AFTER HIS VISIT TO VIETNAM

REF: A) HO CHI MINH CITY 1766

B) FBIS RESTON VA 190654Z NOV 00


1. (U) CLASSIFIED BY POLCOUNS JAMES BRUNO;
REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D).


2. (C) SUMMARY: THE PRESIDENT'S TRIP TO VIETNAM ELECTRIFIED
THE VIETNAMESE PUBLIC -- AND SURPRISED THE COMMUNIST PARTY
LEADERSHIP. ENTHUSIASTIC CROWDS OF SEVERAL HUNDRED
THOUSAND LINED THE STREETS TO GREET THE PRESIDENT AND FIRST
LADY ON THEIR HISTORIC VISIT TO HANOI AND HO CHI MINH CITY.
THREE WEEKS AFTER THE VISIT, THE MESSAGE THE PRESIDENT
DELIVERED IN HIS NATIONALLY TELEVISED ADDRESS AND IN BOTH
CONFIDENTIAL

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PUBLIC AND PRIVATE EVENTS CONTINUES TO REVERBERATE IN
VIETNAMESE COFFEE SHOPS, AS WELL AS IN THE BACKROOMS OF THE
PARTY LEADERSHIP. IN ONE DRAMATIC EXAMPLE IN A PROVINCIAL
CAPITAL, A PRIEST CONVENED GROUPS OF SEVERAL HUNDRED
PARISHIONERS TO DISCUSS THE IDEAS OF FREEDOM AND GLOBAL
ENGAGEMENT CONTAINED IN THE PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. IN HANOI,
THE POLITBURO REPORTEDLY WILL MEET DECEMBER 8 TO DISCUSS
THE TRIP.


3. (C) SUMMARY (CONT'D): FOR THE COMMUNIST PARTY (CPV)
AUTHORITIES, THE EFFUSIVE POPULAR REACTION TO THE PRESIDENT
UNDOUBTEDLY GIVES THEM PAUSE. POST-WAR VIETNAM HAS SEEN
NOTHING LIKE THE RECEPTION THE PRESIDENT RECEIVED, AND THIS
IS A VIVID REMINDER THAT POPULAR FEELING FOR THE RULING
AUTHORITIES IS, BY COMPARISON, LUKEWARM AT BEST. WE
BELIEVE THE PRESIDENT'S VISIT, HIS CALL FOR FREE TRADE AND
FREE EXCHANGE OF IDEAS, AND THE OUTPOURING OF POPULAR
SUPPORT FOR HIM WILL BE A KEY TOPIC OF DEBATE AS THE CPV
LEADERSHIP MOVES INTO ITS PARTY CONGRESS IN MARCH. THIS
CUTS TWO WAYS IN THE ONGOING CPV DISCUSSIONS ABOUT
GLOBALIZATION. CAUTIOUS IDEOLOGUES SUCH AS GENERAL
SECRETARY PHIEU EMPHASIZE THE NEED TO PROCEED CAREFULLY TO

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GUARD AGAINST WESTERN ATTEMPTS AT "PEACEFUL EVOLUTION,"
WHILE MORE REFORM-MINDED LEADERS MAY FEEL STRENGTHENED BY
THE POPULAR SENTIMENT IN FAVOR OF GREATER ENGAGEMENT WITH
THE U.S. AND THE REST OF THE WORLD. END SUMMARY.

WIDESPREAD POPULAR SUPPORT FOR THE PRESIDENT'S VISIT...
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4. (C) IN THE THREE WEEKS SINCE THE PRESIDENT'S TRIP TO
CONFIDENTIAL

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VIETNAM NOVEMBER 16-19, EMBASSY OFFICERS HAVE MET WITH
DISPARATE GROUPS OF VIETNAMESE OFFICIALS AND PRIVATE
CITIZENS IN PROVINCES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THE UNANIMOUS
CONSENSUS IS THAT VIETNAM HAS NEVER SEEN A VISIT LIKE THIS
ONE -- OR ONE THAT HAS HAD SUCH RIPPLING EFFECTS ON THE
CITIZENRY. FIRST AND MOST VISIBLY, WERE THE CROWDS. IN
HANOI, THE USUALLY RESTRAINED NORTHERNERS TURNED OUT IN
UNPRECEDENTED NUMBERS ALONG THE PATH OF THE MOTORCADE
COMING IN FROM THE AIRPORT, GATHERED OUTSIDE THE DAEWOO
HOTEL WHERE THE PRESIDENT STAYED, AND CLUSTERED ON THE
PERIMETER OF HIS EVENTS AROUND TOWN. THE OFFICIAL MEDIA
DID NOT PUBLICIZE THE PRESIDENT'S SCHEDULE, BUT PEOPLE
FOUND OUT ANYWAY -- SOME TOLD US THEY LISTENED TO BBC,
OTHERS LEARNED FROM VIETNAMESE OFFICIALS WHO PASSED THE
WORD TO FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS. ONE WESTERN BUSINESSMAN
SAID HE WAS SURPRISED TO SEE HIS WHOLE STAFF CONVERGE ON
HIS WINDOW OFFICE DURING THE WORK DAY ONLY FIVE MINUTES
BEFORE THE