BEHIND THE SCENES OF THE FIRST LADY'S FORUM: PROFOUND DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE "TWO VIETNAMS"

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 06 HANOI 002777

SIPDIS

STATE FOR S/S, S/PICW (LOAR),P, E, S/P
STATE ALSO FOR EAP (BOYCE),EAP/BCLTV, DRL, EB, INR
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STATE PASS USAID FOR ANE (FERRARA)
WHITE HOUSE FOR OFFICE OF THE FIRST LADY (VERVEER)
WHITE HOUSE FOR NSC (PRITCHARD),NEC (ROSEN)
NSC FOR LIEBERTHAL, CHRISTY AND SCHWARTZ
LABOR FOR U/S SAMET/BENJAMIN
USDOC FOR 4431/MAC/AP/OKSA/HPPHO
TREASURY FOR OASIA
SECDEF FOR ISA/EAP STERN
USDA FOR FAA/AO/SHUETE
PARIS FOR SUE BREMNER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/13/2020
TAGS: PGOV KWMN PREL PHUM SOCI ELAB PINR VM DPOL
SUBJECT: BEHIND THE SCENES OF THE FIRST LADY'S FORUM: PROFOUND DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE "TWO VIETNAMS"

REF: A) HANOI 2776 B) HANOI 2775 C) HANOI 2667

D) HANOI 2639 E) HANOI 2590 F) HO CHI MINH CITY 1766


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

SUMMARY
--------------


2. (C) THE DRAMA BEHIND THE SCENES OF THE FIRST LADY'S
WOMEN'S FORUM REVEALS A GREAT DEAL ABOUT THE INSTITUTIONAL
RESTRICTIONS ON WOMEN AND MEN IN VIETNAM TODAY. OVER LUNCH
BEFORE THE EVENT, IN CANDID DISCUSSIONS IN ENGLISH WITH
SENIOR STAFF OF THE FIRST LADY'S OFFICE, THE SEVEN
VIETNAMESE PANELISTS IN ATTENDANCE SHARED BALANCED
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ASSESSMENTS ABOUT THE CHALLENGES FACING VIETNAMESE WOMEN.
BY CONTRAST, WHEN THEY SPOKE AT THE FORUM ITSELF, IN THE
PRESENCE OF SENIOR COMMUNIST PARTY OFFICIALS, MOST OF THE
PANELISTS' PRESENTATIONS WERE BLAND AND PROPAGANDISTIC.
ONE PANELIST SAID LATER THAT, ON THE WAY TO THE PUBLIC
EVENT, SHE WAS TOLD BY A COLLEAGUE THEIR PRESENTATIONS
SHOULD BE IN VIETNAMESE (AS AN ISSUE OF "SOVEREIGNTY").
SHE ALSO OBSERVED THAT THREE PARTICIPANTS READ TEXTS
STAMPED "OFFICIALLY APPROVED" BY THE AUTHORITIES, EVEN
THOUGH ONLY ONE OF THE THREE WAS A GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL.
SIMILAR TO THE CHOREOGRAPHED REACTIONS FOR STUDENTS IN THE
AUDIENCE FOR THE PRESIDENT'S SPEECH (REF B),VIETNAMESE
AUTHORITIES DELIBERATELY SCRIPTED KEY PANELISTS.


3. (C) THE STRIKINGLY DIFFERENT PUBLIC AND PRIVATE COMMENTS
OF SOME FORUM PARTICIPANTS HIGHLIGHT WHAT ONE PANELIST
LATER CALLED THE TWO VERY DIFFERENT "CULTURES" OF VIETNAM
-- ONE OFFICIAL, FORMAL AND INSISTENT ON CENTRALIZED
CONTROL; THE OTHER INFORMAL, OPEN TO CANDID DIALOGUE AND
INCREASED DEALINGS WITH THE U.S. THE WOMEN IN THE FORUM
REPRESENTED THE COMPETING WORLDVIEWS OF THESE "TWO
VIETNAMS" -- ONE WHICH LOOKS LARGELY TO THE PAST; THE OTHER
FOCUSED ON THE POSSIBILITIES OF THE FUTURE. THE
FORWARDING-LOOKING CAMP INCLUDED A GROUP OF ENTREPRENEURIAL
WOMEN OF DIFFERENT GENERATIONS WHO READILY AGREED TO
PARTICIPATE IN THE FORUM AND CLEARLY RELISHED PROSPECTS FOR
GREATER ENGAGEMENT WITH THE U.S. IN THE OTHER CAMP WERE
PATERNALISTIC OFFICIALS WHO SOUGHT TO CONTROL AND LIMIT THE
MESSAGE, PUBLICITY AND ATTENDEES FOR THE FORUM. PARANOID
ABOUT MAINTAINING CONTROL, INSISTENT ON MICRO-MANAGING
EVERY FACET, OFFICIALS REPRESENTING THIS CAMP HAGGLED FOR
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HOURS OVER THE SHAPE OF THE TABLE FOR THE EVENT. IN MANY
WAYS, THE DIFFERENT CULTURES OF THE "TWO VIETNAMS"
SYMBOLIZE BROADER DIFFERENCES IN SOCIETY THAT WERE ON
DISPLAY DURING THE VISIT OF THE PRESIDENT AND FIRST LADY --
BETWEEN AN ENTREPRENEURIAL PEOPLE EAGER FOR GREATER
ENGAGEMENT WITH THE U.S. AND A PATERNALISTIC STATE
INSISTENT ON STABILITY AND CONTROL. END SUMMARY.

THE IMPACT OF THE FIRST LADY'S WOMEN'S FORUM
--------------


4. (C) THE FIRST LADY'S FORUM WITH WOMEN LEADERS IN HANOI,
HELD NOVEMBER 18 AS PART OF THE PRESIDENT'S HISTORIC VISIT
TO VIETNAM, HIGHLIGHTED MAJOR CHALLENGES FACING VIETNAMESE
WOMEN AS THEY SEEK FULL ECONOMIC, POLITICAL AND SOCIAL
EQUALITY (REF A). LIKE THE PRESIDENT'S TRIP IN GENERAL,
HANOI HAD NOT SEEN ANYTHING QUITE LIKE THIS ROUNDTABLE
DISCUSSION, PULLING TOGETHER SEVEN WOMEN AND ONE MAN FROM
DIFFERENT GENERATIONS AND A RANGE OF PROFESSIONS AND
PERSPECTIVES. THE DISCUSSION FRAMEWORK AND THE UNIFYING
COMMENTS BY MRS. CLINTON HIGHLIGHTED THE IMPORTANT
CONTRIBUTIONS OF VIETNAMESE WOMEN IN IMPROVING WORKING
CONDITIONS AND PRESSING FOR EQUALITY IN LAW AS WELL AS
REALITY. THE FORUM ALSO FOCUSED ON CONTINUING CHALLENGES,
INCLUDING PROBLEMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND THE SPREAD OF
HIV/AIDS.


5. (SBU) INCLUDED IN THE FORUM WERE SEVERAL OF THE MOST
PROMINENT WOMEN OFFICIALS IN VIETNAM, INCLUDING MINISTER OF
LABOR NGUYEN THI HANG AND VIETNAM WOMEN'S UNION PRESIDENT
HA THI KHIET, WHO GAVE WELCOMING REMARKS. BOTH OF THEM ARE
MEMBERS OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF
VIETNAM (CPV). PANELISTS INCLUDED A THREE-TERM MEMBER OF
THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, A LONG-TIME LEADER OF THE VIETNAM
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, AN EXECUTIVE VICE
PRESIDENT OF ONE OF VIETNAM'S PRIVATIZED FORMER STATE-OWNED
FIRMS, AND THE HEAD OF A QUASI-OFFICIAL NGO ADVOCATING FOR
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WOMEN'S RIGHTS. THREE YOUNGER PANELISTS WERE A MALE
RESEARCHER ON HIV/AIDS, A WOMAN CONSULTANT AT UNDP, AND A
15-YEAR-OLD GIRL WHO WAS VIETNAM'S DELEGATE TO THE
INTERNATIONAL YOUTH PARLIAMENT.


6. (C) COMING ON THE HEELS OF MRS. CLINTON'S ELECTION TO
THE U.S. SENATE, THE FORUM SYMBOLIZED FOR VIETNAMESE WOMEN
THE GROWING POLITICAL CLOUT OF WOMEN LEADERS AROUND THE
WORLD, AND THIS MESSAGE WAS NOT LOST ON THE FORUM'S
ATTENDEES. SEVERAL STUDENTS AND WOMEN PROFESSIONALS IN
THEIR 20S AND 30S TOLD EMBOFFS AFTER THE FORUM THEY WERE
INSPIRED BY MRS. CLINTON'S CALL FOR WOMEN TO IMPROVE THEIR
EDUCATION AND SKILLS AND TO SEEK GREATER LEADERSHIP IN
SOCIETY. HOWEVER, MANY IN THE AUDIENCE ALSO EXPRESSED
DISAPPOINTMENT THERE WAS SO LITTLE CANDOR AND INTERACTION
AMONG THE PANELISTS AND BETWEEN THE PANELISTS AND THE
AUDIENCE. IN RETROSPECT, IT IS CLEAR THIS WAS A DELIBERATE
EFFORT ON THE PART OF THE VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES.

IN VIETNAM THE SHAPE OF THE TABLE STILL MATTERS
-------------- --


7. (C) IN THE WEEKS PRIOR TO THE FORUM, REPRESENTATIVES OF
THE FIRST LADY'S OFFICE AND EMBASSY ENGAGED IN PROTRACTED,
HAIR-SPLITTING NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE VIETNAMESE SIDE OVER
EVERYTHING ABOUT THE FORUM -- THE PARTICIPANTS, MESSAGE AND
FORMAT, EVEN THE SHAPE OF THE TABLE. THE FIRST LADY'S
STAFF CAREFULLY CHOSE THE PANELISTS SO THEY WOULD REPRESENT
A BROAD MIX OF PERSPECTIVES, OCCUPATIONS AND GENERATIONS.
THIS WAS DONE SUCCESSFULLY, AND SEVERAL YOUNG WOMEN IN THE
AUDIENCE REMARKED AFTERWARDS THIS WAS ONE OF THE MAIN
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ATTRACTIONS OF THE EVENT. HOWEVER, REACHING AGREEMENT WAS
A PAINSTAKING PROCESS. AS IS THEIR CUSTOM, VIETNAMESE
OFFICIALS WANTED TO ARRANGE THE PROGRAM AND COMPOSITION OF
THE PARTICIPANTS WHO WOULD "HOST" MRS. CLINTON, AND MFA
OFFICIALS STRONGLY INSISTED THAT OTHER PANELISTS BE ADDED
TO THE EVENT.


8. (C) COMMENT: THE NEGOTIATION PROCESS WAS REVEALING FOR
WHAT IT SAYS ABOUT OFFICIAL VIETNAM'S CONCERNS. FOR ONE
THING, IT POINTS UP THE EXTREME SENSITIVITY OF THE
NATIONALISTIC VIETNAMESE TO PRESERVING THE SYMBOLISM OF
EQUALITY AND MUTUAL RESPECT. THUS, VIETNAM, AS THE
OFFICIAL HOST FOR CLINTONS' VISIT, BELIEVED ITS ROLE WAS TO
DETERMINE WHAT MRS. CLINTON WANTED TO DO AND THEN TO
ARRANGE THE REQUISITE EVENTS FOR HER. IN SIMILAR TERMS,
THE VIETNAMESE SIDE FELT IT SHOULD PROVIDE THE "OFFICIAL"
ANSWER TO THE FIRST LADY'S QUESTIONS AT THE FORUM. THE
ARGUMENT OVER THE SHAPE OF THE TABLE ILLUSTRATES THESE
CONCERNS, AS DESCRIBED BELOW. END COMMENT.


9. (C) THE EVENING PRIOR TO THE ARRIVAL OF THE PRESIDENT
AND THE FIRST LADY, THE TWO SIDES CONTINUED NEGOTIATING
BASIC QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FORUM -- WHO THE PARTICIPANTS
WOULD BE, WHAT QUESTIONS THEY WOULD FOCUS ON, INDEED
WHETHER THE HOST VIETNAMESE SIDE WOULD ALLOW MRS. CLINTON
TO HAVE SUCH A FORUM WITH WOMEN OF HER OWN CHOOSING. THE
NEGOTIATIONS BOGGED DOWN OVER THE COMPOSITION OF THE PANEL,
BUT EVEN MORE SO OVER HOW THE PANELISTS WOULD BE SEATED.


10. (C) THE FIRST LADY'S ADVANCE STAFF WAS INTENT ON
LIMITING THE NUMBER OF PANELISTS TO NO MORE THAN SEVEN,
WHILE THE GVN SIDE PRESSED FOR FURTHER ADDITIONS OF HIGH-
LEVEL OFFICIALS WHO THEY BELIEVED NEEDED TO BE INCLUDED FOR
PROTOCOL REASONS. AFTER FIVE HOURS OF BARGAINING, THE U.S.
HAD AGREED TO EIGHT PANELISTS PLUS THE HEAD OF THE WOMEN'S
UNION TO MAKE WELCOMING REMARKS. HOWEVER, THE TWO SIDES
WERE AT AN IMPASSE OVER WHO WOULD ADDRESS THE ISSUES OF
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HIV/AIDS, WITH THE U.S. SIDE PROPOSING ONE RESEARCHER AND
THE GVN SIDE WANTING THAT PERSON BUT ALSO INSISTING ON
ADDING ANOTHER MAN. THE FIRST LADY'S REPRESENTATIVE WARNED
THAT HE WAS CLOSE TO CALLING OFF THE EVENT AND INSTEAD
HAVING THE FIRST LADY CONDUCT A SMALLER PRIVATE FUNCTION
WITHOUT GVN PARTICIPATION.


11. (C) AFTER PROBING THE GVN SIDE ONE LAST TIME FOR
FLEXIBILITY, IT BECAME EVIDENT THAT THE GVN WAS NOT
ATTACHED TO THE SECOND PANELIST; RATHER, WHAT WAS IMPORTANT
WAS THAT THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PERSONS AT THE SEMI-CIRCULAR
TABLE (COUNTING MRS. CLINTON AND THE MODERATOR) BE AN EVEN
NUMBER. THIS WAS SO THAT MRS. CLINTON WOULD NOT BE
CENTERED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TABLE, BUT THAT MRS. CLINTON
AND A VIETNAMESE COUNTERPART WOULD BE EQUALLY SPACED TO ONE
SIDE. ONE U.S. PARTICIPANT PROPOSED A COMPROMISE WHEREBY
THE TABLE WOULD BE ARCHED SO THAT MRS. CLINTON AND THE
LABOR MINISTER BE EQUIDISTANT FROM THE CENTER, WITH FIVE
PERSONS ARRAYED TO ONE SIDE AND SIX TO THE OTHER. THE GVN
NEGOTIATOR EXCUSED HERSELF FOR FIVE MINUTES TO CALL HER
SUPERIORS ON HER CELL PHONE. SHE CAME BACK SAYING THAT WAS
FINE. (COMMENT: AMAZINGLY, THE GVN SIDE WAS WILLING TO
RISK CALLING OFF THE FIRST LADY'S DIALOGUE ON WOMEN'S
ISSUES BECAUSE OF THE SYMBOLISM THAT SHE NOT BE CENTERED IN
THE MIDDLE OF THE TABLE. THIS ECHOED THE MONTHS-LONG
ARGUMENTS OVER THE SHAPE OF THE TABLE IN THE PARIS PEACE
TALKS DECADES BEFORE. END COMMENT.)

CONTRAST BETWEEN A CANDID LUNCHEON AND A SCRIPTED FORUM
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12. (C) PERHAPS THE MOST INSTRUCTIVE LESSONS TO COME OUT OF
THE FORUM WERE ABOUT THE CLASH OF WHAT ONE OF THE PANELISTS
LATER CALLED THE "TWO CULTURES OF VIETNAM." THIS PANELIST
(STRICTLY PROTECT) LATER TOLD US THAT SHE HAD BEEN VERY
DISAPPOINTED BY HOW SHE FELT THE "AGREED PURPOSE" OF THE
FORUM HAD BEEN UNDERMINED BY HER FELLOW PANELISTS. SHE WAS
STRUCK BY THE DRAMATICALLY DIFFERENT TONE OF THE PUBLIC
REMARKS MADE BY SOME PANELISTS IN THE FORUM, AND THOSE MADE
IN PRIVATE AT THE LUNCH HOSTED BY MODERATOR VI PETERSON, A
TRADE CONSULTANT AND SPOUSE OF THE AMBASSADOR. (SHE CITED
IN PARTICULAR THE CONTRASTING REMARKS OF NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
MEMBER NGO BA THANH AND VUONG THI HANH OF THE CENTER FOR
EDUCATION PROMOTION AND EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN.) AT THE
LUNCH, ATTENDED BY THE FIRST LADY'S CHIEF OF STAFF MELANNE
VERVEER AND S/PICW COORDINATOR THERESA LOAR, THE PANELISTS
HAD GIVEN CANDID ASSESSMENTS IN ENGLISH OF HOW VIETNAMESE
WOMEN HAD MADE IMPORTANT PROGRESS IN RECENT YEARS BUT YET
MUCH STILL REMAINED TO BE DONE. (NOTE: THE LABOR MINISTER
AND VIETNAM WOMEN'S UNION PRESIDENT DECLINED TO ATTEND THE
LUNCH. ASSEMBLY MEMBER THANH WAS THE ONLY GOVERNMENT
REPRESENTATIVE TO ATTEND. END NOTE.)


13. (C) AT THIS PRE-FORUM LUNCHEON, WHICH WAS SEEN AS A
"WARM-UP" FOR THE FORUM ITSELF, ONE OF THE MAJOR THEMES
BOTH EXPRESSED AND DEMONSTRATED BY THE WOMEN'S STORIES WAS
THE CREATIVITY, RESOURCEFULNESS AND ENTREPRENEURIAL ENERGY
OF THESE WOMEN. MANY OF THEM HAD BEEN TRAILBLAZERS IN
PRIVATIZING COMPANIES, ORGANIZING RURAL WOMEN TO SPEAK UP
FOR THEIR RIGHTS, AND PRESSING FOR ENFORCEMENT OF LAWS
GUARANTEEING WOMEN EQUAL RIGHTS UNDER THE LAW. OUR
PANELIST SOURCE SAID SHE LEFT THE LUNCHEON FEELING SHE
WOULD BE PARTICIPATING IN SOMETHING TRULY HISTORIC IN
VIETNAM. (COMMENT: THIS WAS EXACTLY THE SENTIMENT OF THE
FORUM ORGANIZERS. IN RETROSPECT, IT SEEMS THAT THE GVN'S
TOUGH NEGOTIATIONS OVER THE PARTICIPANTS WERE FOLLOWED UP
BY "SCRIPTING" A NUMBER OF THE PARTICIPANTS. END COMMENT.)

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14. (C) THE PANELIST TOLD EMBOFF THE CONTRAST WAS DRAMATIC
AND IMMEDIATELY FELT. AFTER FINISHING THE LUNCHEON, ON THE
WALK TO THE FORUM ITSELF, SHE WAS TOLD BY A SENIOR FELLOW
PANELIST THAT ALL THEIR PRESENTATIONS SHOULD BE IN
VIETNAMESE. "THIS IS AN ISSUE OF SOVEREIGNTY," THE SENIOR
VIETNAMESE TOLD HER, IMPLYING THAT THEY SHOULD ONLY SPEAK
VIETNAMESE IN A PUBLIC EVENT IN THEIR COUNTRY. THE
PANELIST WHO SPOKE WITH US DISAGREED, FEELING THEY WOULD
HAVE A MORE CANDID INTERACTION WITH MRS. CLINTON IF THEY
SPOKE IN ENGLISH, BUT SHE WAS PRECEDED BY OTHERS WHO SPOKE
FIRST IN VIETNAMESE.


15. (C) FURTHERMORE, IN CONTRAST TO THEIR REMARKS IN
PRIVATE, SEVERAL OF THE FORUM PARTICIPANTS REVERTED TO
SLOGANEERING, PRAISING THE "CENTRAL ROLE" OF THE CPV IN
LEADING THE CAMPAIGN FOR WOMEN'S EQUALITY. THE INITIAL
PRESENTATIONS -- BY WOMEN'S UNION PRESIDENT KHIET AND LABOR
MINISTER HANG, WHO AS CENTRAL COMMITTEE MEMBERS WERE THE
HIGHEST-RANKING CPV MEMBERS ATTENDING -- INCLUDED
PREDICTABLE NODS TO THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE COMMUNIST
PARTY, BUT WERE NOT OVERLY IDEOLOGICAL. HOWEVER, THE
FOLLOWING THREE PRESENTERS, ONE AFTER ANOTHER, LAUNCHED
INTO EXTENSIVE REMARKS THAT CONTRASTED DRAMATICALLY WITH
THEIR PRIVATE REMARKS AT THE LUNCHEON.


16. (C) NGO BA THANH, NOT A MEMBER OF THE CPV AND IN MANY
SETTINGS FIERCELY INDEPENDENT AND KNOWN AS A CRUSADER FOR
WOMEN'S RIGHTS, DISCOURSED AT LENGTH ON THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF
THE CPV IN THIS REGARD, AT ONE POINT SAYING THAT EQUITY HAD
BEEN ACHIEVED AND ENSHRINED IN FOUNDING CPV DOCUMENTS IN

1945. LIKEWISE, BOTH PHAM CHI LAN, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE
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VIETNAMESE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, AND VUONG THI
HANH REMARKED ON THE "PROMINENT ROLE" OF THE CPV IN
ADVANCING WOMEN'S RIGHTS "UNDER THE REVOLUTION." THE
PANELIST WHO SPOKE WITH US SAID SHE WAS SURPRISED TO SEE
THAT THANH, LAN AND HANH HAD TEXTS STAMPED "OFFICIALLY
APPROVED" SIGNIFYING THAT THEY HAD BEEN VETTED BY
GOVERNMENT AUTHORITIES. SINCE THESE PANELISTS WERE NOT
REPRESENTING GOVERNMENT OFFICES, SHE FOUND THIS TO BE
TELLING. (NOTE: THANH IS A SELF-DESCRIBED "INDEPENDENT"
MEMBER OF THE ASSEMBLY, LAN IS A LEADER OF THE QUASI-
OFFICIAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, AND HANH HEADS UP AN
INDIGENOUS NGO.) (COMMENT: AT ONE LEVEL, IT IS NOT
SURPRISING THE GVN AUTHORITIES WOULD SEEK TO INFLUENCE SUCH
A HIGH-PROFILE FORUM AS THIS ONE. BUT WE WERE STRUCK BY
THE SHARP CONTRAST BETWEEN WHAT FORUM PARTICIPANTS SAID IN
PRIVATE AND WHAT THEY SAID IN A PUBLIC SETTING UNDER THE
WATCHFUL EYES OF SENIOR CPV OFFICIALS. END COMMENT.)

COMMENT: BEHIND THE SCENES: PORTRAITS OF THE "TWO VIETNAMS"
-------------- --------------


17. (C) THE CONTRAST BETWEEN THE PUBLIC SPEECHES BY SEVERAL
PANELISTS AND THEIR CANDID PRIVATE REMARKS HIGHLIGHTS THE
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE COMPETING VIEWS OF THE "TWO
VIETNAMS" -- ONE OFFICIAL, FORMAL AND INSISTENT ON
CENTRALIZED CONTROL; THE OTHER INFORMAL, OPEN TO CANDID
DIALOGUE AND INCREASED DEALINGS WITH THE U.S. THE FORMER
VIEW IS CAUTIOUS, PATERNALISTIC, XENOPHOBIC AND HIGHLY
SUSPICIOUS OF WESTERN INTENTIONS. THIS IS THE DOMINANT
VIEW AMONG CPV HARDLINERS AND WAR VETERANS, AND THROUGH
THEM, THE SECURITY MINISTRIES OF THE GOVERNMENT, ELEMENTS
OF THE PARTY'S MASS ORGANIZATIONS AND THE STATE ORGANS THAT
ENFORCE STATE CENSORSHIP OF THE PRESS AND OTHER PUBLIC
SPEECH.


18. (C) BY CONTRAST, THE OTHER VIEW IS MORE OPEN, ENGAGING,
ENTREPRENEURIAL AND EAGER TO HAVE VIETNAM INTEGRATE MORE
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FULLY WITH THE REST OF THE WORLD. IN THIS CAMP, WE
BELIEVE, ARE THE VAST MAJORITY OF VIETNAM'S YOUNGER
POPULATION, WHO HUNGER FOR THE PROMISES OF BETTER JOBS AND
A BETTER LIFE, INCLUDING NOT ONLY MATERIAL WELL-BEING, BUT
ALSO THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE GREATER CONTROL OVER THEIR
DESTINIES. THIS CAMP FINDS SIGNIFICANT SUPPORT AMONG
TECHNOCRATS AND MANY YOUNGER OFFICIALS IN THE CPV AND
GOVERNMENT. HOWEVER, AS ONE OF THE PANELISTS POINTED OUT
TO US, WORKING IN THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT TODAY REQUIRES
AT LEAST TACIT DEFERENCE TO THE DOMINANT OFFICIAL CULTURE
OF CENTRALIZED CONTROL AND, FOR SOME POSITIONS, PARTY
AFFILIATION AND MEMBERSHIP ARE REQUIRED. THE MORE
ENTREPRENEURIAL CAMP FOCUSES ON THE POSSIBILITIES OF THE
FUTURE, WHILE THE OTHER CAMP LOOKS LARGELY TO THE PAST,
RECYCLING OLD-FASHIONED IDEOLOGY TO WHICH VIRTUALLY NO ONE
SUBSCRIBES TODAY. DURING THE VISIT, THE MESSAGES OF THE
PRESIDENT AND THE FIRST LADY WERE FOCUSED ON REACHING OUT
TO THIS YOUNGER GENERATION. THE EFFUSIVE POPULAR REACTION
THEY RECEIVED REVEALS THE RESONANCE OF THEIR MESSAGE.


19. (C) THE DIFFERENT CULTURES OF THE "TWO VIETNAMS" ARE
STRONGLY INFLUENCED BY GENERATIONAL AND REGIONAL FACTORS,
AS WELL AS CPV MEMBERSHIP, THOUGH THESE MATTERS ARE NOT
DETERMINATIVE. AS A RULE, YOUNGER AND SOUTHERN VIETNAMESE
ARE MUCH MORE LIKELY TO FIT THE MORE OPEN, CANDID PARADIGM.
UNDER THE CPV UMBRELLA THERE ARE PERSONS IN BOTH CAMPS;
SOME PERSONS, FOR INSTANCE, JOIN THE CPV FOR PRAGMATIC
RATHER THAN IDEOLOGICAL REASONS, IN ORDER TO IMPROVE THEIR
PROSPECTS FOR ADVANCEMENT. FOR EXAMPLE, PANELIST NGUYEN
THI MAI THANH, GENERAL DIRECTOR OF THE REE REFRIGERATION
COMPANY, IS A CPV MEMBER IN HER LATE 40S, AND SHE CLEARLY
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IS IN THE REFORMIST CAMP. SHE LARGELY ESCHEWED IDEOLOGY IN
HER FORUM PRESENTATION AND FOCUSED ON THE INCREASED
BUSINESS BENEFITS TO BE DERIVED FROM PRIVATIZATION AND
GREATER TRANSPARENCY. IN A MEETING WITH POLOFF AFTER THE
FORUM, SHE SAID SHE HOPED THE UPCOMING CPV PARTY CONGRESS
WOULD PRESS FOR GREATER OPENNESS AND DEBATE, AND WOULD
EMBRACE A PROGRAM OF GREATER ENGAGEMENT WITH THE U.S. AND
THE REST OF THE WORLD.


20. (C) THE PANELIST WE DEBRIEFED AFTERWARDS JOKED THAT HER
FRIENDS WERE SAYING "EVEN THE AMERICANS" COULDN'T PULL OFF
A CANDID PUBLIC FORUM OF VIETNAMESE WOMEN. SHE ASSESSED,
HOWEVER, THAT THE FORUM HAD PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN
HIGHLIGHTING IMPORTANT ISSUES OF CONCERN TO VIETNAMESE
WOMEN, AND SHE EXPRESSED STRONG INTEREST IN HOLDING A
FOLLOW-UP SESSION TO DISCUSS MANY OF THE ISSUES RAISED IN
THE FORUM, INCLUDING EXPLORING LINKS TO MRS. CLINTON'S
"VITAL VOICES" NETWORK OF WOMEN LEADERS AROUND THE WORLD.
(NOTE: IN STRATEGIZING WITH THIS PANELIST AND OTHERS HERE
ABOUT A FOLLOW-UP PUBLIC AFFAIRS PROGRAM, THERE ARE SEVERAL
CLEAR "LESSONS LEARNED" TO ENABLE THE VOICES OF THE NEW,
MORE OPEN VIETNAM TO BE HEARD. WE WILL HOLD THE DISCUSSION
IN ENGLISH, INVITE YOUNGER PARTICIPANTS TO SPEAK FIRST,
ENCOURAGE QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE, AND NOT ALLOW THE
CPV "ELDERS" TO CONTROL THE DISCUSSION. THE TRADEOFF MAY
BE THAT "OFFICIAL VIETNAM" WILL NOT AGREE TO PARTICIPATE
UNDER SUCH GROUND RULES.) END COMMENT.

CONCLUDING COMMENT
--------------


21. (C) OUR EXPERIENCE HELPING ORGANIZE THE FIRST LADY'S
WOMEN'S FORUM POINTED UP SOME OF THE SHARP CONTRASTS
BETWEEN THE "TWO VIETNAMS" -- AND THE LONG SHADOW THAT THE
OFFICIAL CULTURE OF CENTRALIZED CONTROL CASTS OVER THE
BROADER SOCIETY'S CULTURE OF ENTREPRENEURISM. AS SHOWCASED
IN THIS FORUM, OFFICIAL VIETNAM'S IMPERATIVE TO SCRIPT
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PUBLIC OPINION SIGNIFICANTLY HOLDS BACK VIETNAM'S MORE
DYNAMIC LEADERS. THE EXTENSIVE MANEUVERING OF
PARTY/GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS BEHIND THE SCENES REVEALS THE
EXTRAORDINARY EXTENT OF CONTROL EXERCISED BY THE
PATERNALISTIC, TOP-DOWN DECISION-MAKERS OF OFFICIAL
VIETNAM. IN "MANAGING" THE REACTION AND PUBLICITY OF THE
PRESIDENT'S TRIP, THIS GROUP SOUGHT TO LIMIT ACCESS AND TO
SCRIPT RESPONSES. AS REPORTED REF B, WHAT THE
EXTRAORDINARY POPULAR RECEPTION GIVEN TO THE PRESIDENT
REVEALS IS HOW MUCH OUT OF TOUCH THIS GROUP IS WITH THE
FEELINGS OF THE VIETNAMESE PUBLIC AT LARGE. END COMMENT.
HARTER

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