ITALY ON VIETNAMESE MONTAGNARDS: GIVE GVN PROMISE

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 004959

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/10/2007
TAGS: PREF PREL VM CB IT UN
SUBJECT: ITALY ON VIETNAMESE MONTAGNARDS: GIVE GVN PROMISE
A CHANCE

REF: A. SECSTATE 194170

B. ROME 1162

CLASSIFIED BY: POLMINCOUNS T. COUNTRYMAN FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D)

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1. (C) ON OCTOBER 10 AT THE MFA, POLOFF MET WITH TIZIANA
MARINI, DEPUTY OFFICE DIRECTOR FOR SOUTHEAST ASIAN AFFAIRS,
TO DELIVER REF A DEMARCHE ON PROTECTING VIETNAMESE
MONTAGNARDS. AS HER PREDECESSOR RESPONDED TO THE PREVIOUS
DEMARCHE ON THIS ISSUE (REF B),MARINI SAID THAT THE GOI WAS
ACTING WITHIN EU POLICY. SHE ADDED, HOWEVER, THAT THE GOI
WAS CLOSELY MONITORING THE SITUATION AND WELL AWARE OF THE
NEED TO MAINTAIN PRESSURE ON THE GVN AND RGC.


2. (C) MARINI SHARED DETAILS ON BOTH THE EU'S APPROACH AND
ITALY'S POINT OF VIEW. IN APRIL, THE EU DEMARCHED THE RGC ON
THE NEED TO ABIDE BY THE GENEVA CONVENTIONS AND COOPERATE
WITH UNHCR. IN ADDITION, IT HAD DEMARCHED THE GVN ON THE
NEED TO IMPROVE THE ECONOMIC AND HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION OF
CENTRAL HIGHLANDERS. SHE NOTED THAT THE VIETNAMESE
CONSTITUTION GUARANTEES FREEDOM OF RELIGION AS LONG AS
RELIGIOUS BELIEFS DO NOT INTERFERE WITH THE POLITICAL SYSTEM.
THE GVN REGARDS SOME PROTESTANT SECTS AMONG THE MONTAGNARDS
AS BEING COMMITTED TO THE OVERTHROW OF THE ESTABLISHED
POLITICAL ORDER.


3. (C) IN MAY, AN EU DELEGATION VISITED VIETNAM AND THE
CENTRAL HIGHLANDS, WHERE IT MET WITH PROVINCIAL AUTHORITIES.
WHILE THE EU HAS PROVIDED AID TO THAT AREA, IT IS STILL QUITE
UNDERDEVELOPED. THE GVN MADE A COMMITMENT TO THE DELEGATION
TO PRIORITIZE DEVELOPMENT OF RURAL AREAS WHERE ETHNIC
MINORITIES LIKE THE MONTAGNARDS LIVE. GVN OFFICIALS CONSIDER
THOSE WHO HAVE FLED THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS FOR CAMBODIA TO BE
ECONOMIC MIGRANTS, NOT REFUGEES. WHILE NOT TAKING A POSITION
ON THE REASON FOR THE OUTFLOW OF VIETNAMESE MONTAGNARDS,
MARINI STATED THAT THE GOI TOOK THE GVN DEVELOPMENT
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COMMITMENT AT FACE VALUE AND WAS WAITING TO SEE HOW IT WOULD
PLAY OUT. MEANWHILE, THE GOI HAS SIGNED WITH THE
INTERNATIONAL FUND FOR AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT (IFAD) AN
AGREEMENT FOR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS IN VIETNAM.
SEMBLER

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2002ROME04959 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL