Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
01HANOI2227
2001-09-10 10:26:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Hanoi
Cable title:  

MFA PROTESTS VIETNAM HUMAN RIGHTS ACT

Tags:  PREL VM HUMANR 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

101026Z Sep 01

2001HANOI02227 - CONFIDENTIAL
 
 
 
 CONFIDENTIAL PTQ0689

PAGE 01 HANOI 02227 01 OF 02 101032Z 
ACTION EAP-00 

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AS-01 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 DS-00 
 FBIE-00 VC-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 LAB-01 VCE-00 NSAE-00 
 IRM-00 USIE-00 IIP-00 DSCC-00 DRL-02 NFAT-00 SAS-00 
 /004W
 ------------------1CD10D 101033Z /38 
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3902
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 002227 

SIPDIS

FOR EAP/BCLTV

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/10/06
TAGS: PREL VM HUMANR
SUBJECT: MFA PROTESTS VIETNAM HUMAN RIGHTS ACT


C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 002227

SIPDIS

FOR EAP/BCLTV

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/10/06
TAGS: PREL VM HUMANR
SUBJECT: MFA PROTESTS VIETNAM HUMAN RIGHTS ACT



1. (U) CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE D'AFFAIRES
ROBERT C. PORTER, JR. REASON: 1.5 (D)


2. ( C ) SUMMARY: AN MFA DEMARCHE TO CHARGE
ON SEPTEMBER 10 CHARACTERIZED THE HOUSE
PASSAGE OF THE VIETNAM HUMAN RIGHTS ACT
(VHRA) AS THE MOST SERIOUS STEP SINCE
NORMALIZATION OF RELATIONS AND WARNED OF
UNPREDICTABLE CONSEQUENCES, INCLUDING ON
RATFICATION HERE OF THE BTA. THE OFFICIAL
REACTION IS PREDICTABLE BUT NONETHELESS
CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02 HANOI 02227 01 OF 02 101032Z
REFLECTS ONGOING TOP LEVEL SUSPICION OF US
MOTIVES TOWARD VIETNAM. END SUMMARY.


3. ( C ) FOREIGN MINISTRY (MFA) AMERICAS
DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR NGUYEN XUAN PHONG CALLED
CHARGE D'AFFAIRES TO MFA ON SEPTEMBER 10,
HAVING BEEN UNWILLING TO MEET WITH ANY OTHER
EMBASSY OFFICIAL ON SEPTEMBER 7 IN CHARGE'S
ABSENCE IN HO CHI MINH CITY. PHONG TOLD
CHARGE THAT HE WISHED TO EXPRESS THE
"FEELING" THAT THE PASSAGE OF THE VIETNAM
HUMAN RIGHTS ACT (VHRA) COULD HAVE A
NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF
BILATERAL RELATIONS AND ON THE WILLINGNESS
OF THE GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE OF VIETNAM TO
WORK WITH THE USG. HE NOTED THAT THE "HARD
REALITY" OF THE 410-1 VOTE IN THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES MADE IT "IMPOSSIBLE TO SAY"
THAT THIS REFLECTED MINORITY OPINION.


4. ( C ) PHONG LABELED THE CONTENT OF THE
VHRA AS A "BLATENT LIE" AND AS "GROSS
INTERFERENCE" IN VIETNAM'S INTERNAL AFFAIRS.
HE NOTED THAT VIETNAM HAD REPEATEDLY DURING
THE NEGOTIATIONS ON THE BILATERAL TRADE
AGREEMENT URGED THE REVOCATION OF THE
JACKSON-VANICH AMENDMENT AS A "COLD WAR
RELIC." HOWEVER, NOT ONLY DID THE JACKSON-
VANICH AMENDMENT STILL APPLY TO VIETNAM, BUT
CONGRESS WAS NOW SEEKING TO MAKE AN "EVEN
WORSE" LAW (THE VHRA),WHICH WAS AIMED AT
CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 03 HANOI 02227 01 OF 02 101032Z
OPPOSING THE INDEPENDENCE AND SOVEREIGNTY OF
VIETNAM, AS WELL AS BEING AGAINST THE
INTERESTS OF THE FUTURE OF BILATERAL
RELATIONS.


5. ( C ) PHONG STATED THAT THE GOVERNMENT
AND PEOPLE OF VIETNAM VIEWED THE VHRA AS THE
"MOST BLATANT AND SERIOUS" ACT REGARDING
POLICY TOWARD VIETNAM SINCE THE
NORMALIZATION OF RELATIONS. HE CALLED THE
IMPACT OF ITS POSSIBLE PASSAGE BY THE SENATE
AS "UNPREDICTABLE," ESPECIALLY AS CONCERNED
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY RATIFICATION OF THE BTA.
PHONG SAID THAT THE MFA "SQUARELY OPPOSED"
THE VHRA AND REQUESTED THE STATE DEPARTMENT
TO "DO WHATEVER" TO STOP SENATE APPROVAL, IN
THE INTEREST OF RELATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO
NATIONS.


6. ( C ) PHONG ALSO EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT
THE STATE DEPARTMENT, CONTRARY TO
EXPECTATIONS, HAD NOT FORMALLY OPPOSED HOUSE
PASSAGE OF THE VHRA, AND CALLED ON
ADDITIONAL STEPS BY THE STATE DEPARTMENT
BEFORE SENATE CONSIDERATION. SENATE PASSAGE
COULD HAVE A "VERY, VERY NEGATIVE" IMPACT
HERE AND WOULD BE "VERY DANGEROUS" TO THE
FUTURE OF THE RELATIONSHIP. HE NOTED THAT
IT WAS ALREADY "VERY DIFFICULT" TO EXPLAIN
HOUSE PASSAGE OF THE VHRA TO THE PEOPLE AND
LEADERSHIP OF VIETNAM, SOME OF WHOM WERE
CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 04 HANOI 02227 01 OF 02 101032Z
CONCERNED ABOUT A PERCEIVED HARDENING OF US
POLICY TOWARD VIETNAM OR EVEN ABOUT A
"SECOND AGENDA" OF SEEKING TO DESTROY
VIETNAM'S "REVOLUTION, COUNTRY, AND PEOPLE,
IN SPITE OF BEAUTIFUL WORDS." HE NOTED THE
VHRA'S INCLUSION OF FUNDS FOR GROUPS TO
PROMOTE DEMOCRACY AND FREEDOM, WHICH SOME IN
VIETNAM SAW AS A PRETEXT TO URGE VIETNAMESE
PEOPLE TO "RAISE UP AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT."


7. ( C ) WHILE EMPHASIZING THE POSITIVE
VOTE ON BTA THE SAME DAY BY THE HOUSE,
CHARGE PROMISED TO CONVEY MFA CONCERNS TO
WASHINGTON. HE NOTED THAT HOUSE PASSAGE OF
THE VHRA REFLECTED CONCERN OVER THE HUMAN
RIGHTS SITUATION IN VIETNAM AND URGED
VIETNAM TO CONSIDER STEPS TO IMPROVE THE
HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION AND ITS INTERNATIONAL
IMAGE, SUCH AS ACCESS BY INDEPENDENT
OBSERVERS TO THICH QUANG DO, AS WELL AS TO
THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS. HE AGREED WITH PHONG

CONFIDENTIAL

THAT THE TWO COUNTRIES NEEDED TO WORK HARD
TO FIND WAYS TO KEEP THE RELATIONSHIP MOVING
IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION, AND AGAIN URGED THE
GVN TO BE MORE RESPONSIVE TO OVERALL HUMAN
RIGHTS CONCERNS.


9. ( C ) COMMENT: MUCH OF THE MFA DEMARCHE
WAS PREDICTABLE, AND PHONG READ CAREFULLY
FROM A SCRIPT THAT ECHOED SIMILAR COMMENTS
BY THE MFA SPOKESMAN AND IN A SEPTEMBER 8
"NHAN DAN" COMMENTARY. THE SHRILL TONE IS
PROBABLY ALSO RELATED TO WHAT APPEARS TO BE
CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02 HANOI 02227 02 OF 02 101033Z
ONGOING HEIGHTENED WORRY AMONG SOME OF THE
LEADERSHIP ABOUT THE USG'S COMMITMENT TO THE
FUTURE OF THE BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP. THE
MFA MUST HAVE FELT TAKEN OFF GUARD AND
INADEQUATELY ABLE TO EXPLAIN TO THE
LEADERSHIP THE ABSENCE OF FORMAL STATE
OPPOSITION TO VHRA BEFORE THE HOUSE VHRA
VOTE AND THE ONE-SIDED NATURE OF THE VOTE.
PORTER

CONFIDENTIAL