SPOUTING THE PARTY LINE ALONG ROUTE ONE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 002885

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/05/2006
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM ETRD VM CTERR BTA HUMANR
SUBJECT: SPOUTING THE PARTY LINE ALONG ROUTE ONE



1. (U) CLASSIFIED BY POL/C SCOTT BELLARD, REASON: 1.5
(D)


2. (C) SUMMARY. PROVINCIAL AUTHORITIES ALONG ROUTE ONE
EXPRESSED TO POL/C THEIR CONDOLENCES ON THE 9/11
TRAGEDIES AND OPPOSITION TO TERRORISM, SATISFACTION
OVER THE BILATERAL TRADE AGREEMENT, AND DEEP OPPOSITION
TO THE DRAFT VIETNAM HUMAN RIGHTS ACT. THE UNIFORMITY
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OF THEIR LANGUAGE SUGGESTS CENTRAL GUIDANCE, PROBABLY
FROM THE FOREIGN MINISTRY, WHICH HAD APPARENTLY WORKED
HARD TO CONVINCE THEM TO ARRANGE MEETINGS. OFFICIALS
SEEMED GLAD OF THE CHANCE TO DESCRIBE LOCAL CONDITIONS,
AND WERE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE PROSPECTS FOR CONTINUING
THE PROCESS OF STRENGTHENING BILATERAL TIES, ALTHOUGH
SOME SUSPICION REMAINS ABOUT US GLOBAL OBJECTIVES. END
SUMMARY.


3. (U) POL/C AND POL FSN TRAVELED BY EMBASSY FOUR
WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLE ALONG THE PICTURESQUE (BUT OFTEN
DECREPIT) NATIONAL HIGHWAY ONE BETWEEN HO CHI MINH CITY
AND HANOI OCTOBER 25-NOVEMBER 2 TO MEET WITH SENIOR
OFFICIALS IN BINH THUAN, KHANH HOA, BINH DINH, QUANG
NAM, QUANG BINH, AND NGHE AN PROVINCES, AS WELL AS IN
HOI AN AND DANANG CITIES. THE PRIMARY INTERLOCUTOR AT
EACH STOP WAS EITHER THE CHAIRMAN OR VICE CHAIRMAN OF
THE PROVINCIAL PEOPLE'S COMMITTEE (EQUIVALENT OF
GOVERNOR OR VICE GOVERNOR),USUALLY ACCOMPANIED BY A
VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE PROVINCIAL PEOPLE'S COUNCIL (LOCAL
LEGISLATURE) AND CHAIRMAN OR DEPUTY OF THE PROVINCIAL
EDUCATION OFFICE. SEPTELS WILL FOCUS ON THE EVOLVING
ROLES OF THE PROVINCIAL PEOPLE'S COUNCILS (LOCAL
LEGISLATURES) AND LOCAL EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS AND
EFFORTS, AS WELL AS A LOOK AT SELECTED CATHOLIC
COMMUNITIES.

SAD NEWS
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4. (C) AT SOME POINT IN EACH DISCUSSION (USUALLY AT
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THE BEGINNING),THE SENIOR INTERLOCUTOR WOULD EXPRESS
THE CONDOLENCES OF HIS PROVINCE TO THE VICTIMS AND
FAMILIES OF THE VICTIMS OF THE SEPTEMBER 11 TRAGEDIES,
AS WELL AS TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE IN GENERAL. (WHILE
EXPRESSING APPRECIATION, POL/C EMPHASIZED THE
INTERNATIONAL NATURE OF THE TRAGEDY, WITH VICTIMS FROM
ABOUT 80 COUNTRIES.) THE PROVINCIAL OFFICIAL WOULD
THEN EXPRESS OPPOSITION TO TERRORISM IN "EVERY FORM,"
OFTEN ADDING THAT VIETNAM ITSELF HAD BEEN THE VICTIM OF
TERRORIST ATTACKS. IN RESPONSE, POL/C REVIEWED ACTIONS
BY THE USG TO ENSURE THE ARREST OF INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED
IN THE RECENT BOMBING ATTEMPTS AT VIETNAMESE EMBASSIES
IN BANGKOK AND MANILA, AND EXPRESSED APPRECIATION FOR
THE GVN'S COOPERATION AS PART OF THE INTERNATIONAL
CAMPAIGN AGAINST TERRORISM. SEVERAL OFFICIALS ALSO
EXPRESSED A HOPE FOR AN EARLY END TO THE ONGOING
MILITARY CAMPAIGN IN AFGHANISTAN AND WORRIES ABOUT
CIVILIAN CASUALTIES. NGHE AN VICE CHAIRMAN HOANG TY
SPENT MUCH OF THE DINNER HE HOSTED IN POL/C'S HONOR
QUERYING ABOUT US INTENTIONS IN AFGHANISTAN AND WHAT
APPEARED TO HIM US INDIFFERENCE TO CIVILIAN LOSSES.
POL/C DESCRIBED US EFFORTS TO MINIMIZE CIVILIAN
CASUALTIES AND LOSSES AS WELL AS EXTENSIVE USG EFFORTS
TO PROVIDE HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO THE PEOPLE OF
AFGHANISTAN.

GLAD NEWS
--------------


5. (C) TURNING TO A HAPPIER NOTE, PROVINCIAL
AUTHORITIES WOULD THEN DECLARE THEIR SATISFACTION ABOUT
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THE SENATE RATIFICATION OF THE BILATERAL TRADE
AGREEMENT AND EXPRESS A CONVICTION THAT VIETNAM'S
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY WOULD SHORTLY ALSO APPROVE IT. KHANH
HOA PROVINCIAL CHAIRMAN PHAM VAN CHI NOTED THAT THE
AGREEMENT WOULD MARK A "NEW PHASE" IN BILATERAL
RELATIONS AS WELL AS A BOOST TO LOCAL EXPORTS OF
SEAFOOD PRODUCTS. BINH DINH PROVINCIAL CHAIRMAN VU
HOANG HA NOTED ITS "VERY POSITIVE" EFFECT ON BILATERAL
TIES. QUANG NAM PROVINCIAL VICE CHAIRMAN HO THI THANH
LAM (THE SOLE FEMALE INTERLOCUTOR DURING THE ENTIRE
TRIP) EXPRESSED HER PLEASURE OVER THE BTA AND ITS
IMPORTANCE IN IMPROVING RELATIONS FURTHER, IN ADDITION
TO BRINGING MORE US TRADE AND INVESTMENT TO HER
PROVINCE. DANANG FOREIGN AFFAIRS OFFICIALS NOTED THE
POSITIVE IMPACT OF BTA ON ALL LOCALITIES, INCLUDING
THEIR CITY. QUANG BINH PROVINCIAL VICE CHAIRMAN PHAN
VIET DUNG CALLED BTA A "GOOD STEP" IN THE VIETNAMESE-
AMERICAN RELATIONSHIP.

BAD NEWS
--------------


6. (C) USUALLY AT THE END OF THEIR PRESENTATIONS ON
BILATERAL TIES, THE OFFICIALS WOULD ASSUME A STERN
DEMEANOR AND DENOUNCE THE DRAFT VIETNAM HUMAN RIGHTS
ACT. KHANH HOA CHAIRMAN CHI LAMBASTED IT AS "GROSS
INTERFERENCE" IN VIETNAM'S INTERNAL AFFAIRS. BINH DINH
CHAIRMAN HA SAID ITS PASSAGE BY THE SENATE WOULD BE A
"BIG PROBLEM" FOR BILATERAL RELATIONS AND CITED THE
"STRONG FEELINGS" OF PEOPLE IN HIS PROVINCE AGAINST IT.
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HE URGED THE USG TO "STOP" SENATE PASSAGE. QUANG NAM
VICE CHAIRMAN LAM CALLED THE VHRA "RUDE INTERFERENCE"
AND DEMANDED TO KNOW WHY THE US CONGRESS REFUSED TO
"LISTEN TO THE VOICES OF THE VIETNAMESE PEOPLE" ABOUT
THIS BILL, WHICH SHE SAID WOULD "HURT RELATIONS." SHE
ALSO CLAIMED THE VHRA VIOLATED THE "INDEPENDENCE AND
SOVEREIGNTY" OF VIETNAM AND POINTED TO THE EXTENSIVE
DAMAGE DONE BY THE US MILITARY IN HER PROVINCE DURING
THE WAR AS AN EXAMPLE OF US VIOLATIONS OF VIETNAMESE
HUMAN RIGHTS. QUANG BINH VICE CHAIRMAN DUNG FAILED TO
RAISE THE VHRA DURING THE FORMAL MEETING BUT THEN, AT
THE DINNER HE HOSTED THAT EVENING, EXPLAINED THAT HE
HAD TRIED TO "CONCENTRATE ON POSITIVE ASPECTS" DURING
THE AFTERNOON TALKS BUT NONETHELESS WANTED TO DENOUNCE
THE VHRA AS "RUDE INTERFERENCE."

BUT LET'S BE FRIENDS
--------------


7. (C) THE OVERALL TENURE OF THE TALKS WAS WELCOMING
AND PROVIDED THE OPPORTUNITY FOR SEEMINGLY CANDID
EXCHANGES OF VIEWS ABOUT THESE AND OTHER TOPICS
(SEPTELS). BINH THUAN CHAIRMAN CHI STRESSED HOW MUCH
HIS PROVINCE WANTED IMPROVED RELATIONS WITH THE US,
ALTHOUGH HE DECRIED THE ACTIVITIES OF "SOME" US NGOS
THAT "SAY THEY WILL DO ONE THING AND THEN DO ANOTHER,"
ESPECIALLY ENGAGING IN RELIGIOUS PROSELYTIZING. KHANH
HOA CHAIRMAN CHI EXPRESSED A HOPE FOR "BETTER AND
BETTER" RELATIONS, TOWARD WHICH BOTH SIDES MUST
"CONTINUE TO STRIVE." BINH DINH CHAIRMAN HA NOTED THAT
BETTER RELATIONS WERE CLEARLY "IN THE INTEREST" OF BOTH
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SIDES. QUANG NAM VICE CHAIRMAN LAM SAID THAT HER
PROVINCE DEEPLY WANTED "NORMAL RELATIONS" AFTER THE
YEARS OF SACRIFICE AND MARTYRDOM DURING THE WAR, WHICH
MUST NEVER BE REPEATED, SHE STRESSED. QUANG BINH'S
VICE CHAIRMAN DUNG SAID HIS PROVINCE "CARED GREATLY"
ABOUT PROMOTING THE NATIONAL POLICY OF MULTIFACETED
FOREIGN RELATIONS AND THE NEED FOR MORE COOPERATION
WITH THE US.

COMMENT
--------------


8. (C) THESE PROVINCIAL AUTHORITIES, WHILE APPARENTLY
HAVING FLEXIBILITY IN DISCUSSING PROVINCIAL CONDITIONS
AND PROSPECTS, APPEARED CLEARLY TO BE READING FROM A
PRE-APPROVED SCRIPT REGARDING THE SENSITIVE ISSUES OF
INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM, BTA, AND VHRA. GIVEN THE
SIMILARITY OF THEIR COMMENTS ON THESE TOPICS, EMBASSY
SUSPECTS THAT THE MFA PROVIDED TALKING POINTS AND
INSTRUCTED THEM TO RAISE THESE POINTS. AS THE MFA HAS
INDICATED TO CHARGE THAT IT HAD ACTIVELY WORKED TO
CONVINCE THE PROVINCES TO ARRANGE POL/C'S VISITS, IT IS
LIKELY THAT PROVISION OF TALKING POINTS WAS ANOTHER WAY
OF GIVING THE PROVINCIAL AUTHORITIES GREATER CONFIDENCE
THAT THEY WERE ALL READING FROM THE SAME BRIEFING BOOK
ON ISSUES BEYOND THEIR USUAL MANDATE. THERE IS
NONETHELESS A CLEAR RECOGNITION IN THE PROVINCES OF THE
VITAL IMPORTANCE IN CONTINUING THE PROCESS OF
NORMALIZING AND IMPROVING BILATERAL RELATIONS WITH THE
US. AT THE SAME TIME, HOWEVER, THERE ALSO REMAIN
LINGERING UNHAPPY MEMORIES ABOUT THE DESTRUCTION DURING
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THE WAR, AS WELL AS SOME SUSPICION ABOUT US GLOBAL
OBJECTIVES TODAY.
PORTER

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