NSC Senior Director Michael Green's Meeting with FM

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 000313

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEPT PASS TO EAP/BCLTV; EAP/RSP; DRL; PRM; H; PM; T

STATE PASS TO USTR FOR E. BRYAN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM PGOV KIRF OTRA OVIP ETRD VM WTO RELFREE HUMANR HIV AIDS APEC CVR
SUBJECT: NSC Senior Director Michael Green's Meeting with FM
Nguyen Dy Nien: WTO, Religious Freedom and Prime Minister's
Visit

Ref: A. Hanoi 284 B. Hanoi 254


1. (SBU) Summary: Vietnamese Foreign Minister Nguyen Dzy
Nien told visiting Senior Director for Asia Michael J. Green
that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is optimistic about the
bilateral relationship and, though very unhappy about
Vietnam's designation as a Country of Particular Concern for
Religious Freedom, "will do our best to prove we should be
off the list." Vietnam is "ready to send, and welcome,"
religious delegations to engage in dialogue on religious
freedom, the FM said. Vietnam is hoping for a conclusion to
bilateral negotiations with the United States on WTO "very
soon" and wants USG help in receiving Permanent Normal
Trading Relations (PNTR) status, Nien said. End Summary.


2. (SBU) NSC Senior Director for Asia Michael J. Green met
with Foreign Minister Nguyen Dzy Nien February 4. The
Ambassador and Poloff accompanied. FM Nien opened the
meeting with the promise that the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs would "fully cooperate" with plans for the visit to
the United States of Prime Minister Phan Van Khai in 2005.
"We look forward to further strengthening of the
relationship," FM Nien said. Dr. Green said there is "great
optimism" in the USG towards the bilateral relationship and
noted that Vietnam was the only Southeast Asian stop he was
making on this trip to Asia. The USG believes that the
bilateral relationship is strategic and important and at a
critical stage, Dr. Green continued. The United States and
Vietnam have common strategic interests and strong and
deepening economic, cultural and political ties, he said,
although these ties have been made more complicated this
year by the "tough issue" of religious freedom. The
religious freedom "work plan" (ref A) Dr. Green discussed
earlier in the day with Assistant Foreign Minister Nguyen
Duc Hung (septel) offered a win-win solution to the problem
of Vietnam's continued status as a Country of Particular
Concern for religious freedom, Dr. Green said. The GVN's
decision to release prisoners of concern to the United
States (ref B) was a "good move," Dr. Green stated, and the
United States wants to follow that up by working with the
GVN on systemic change. With agreement on a work plan, the
USG hoped to work out a long-term solution and allow the
Prime Minister and President Bush to have a productive
discussion.


3. (SBU) The Foreign Minister said he, too, is optimistic
about the relationship. The GVN will "do its best" to
observe religious freedom and allow the people of Vietnam to
enjoy it, he added. Religious freedom is enshrined in the
Constitution, and all Vietnamese people should have the
freedom to worship whatever religion they choose, as well as
the freedom not to worship. The designation of Vietnam as a
Country of Particular Concern (CPC) made people "very
unhappy" because it was unfair, FM Nien said. "We need your
support to lift CPC," he said. "We will do our best to
prove we should be off the list, but we need your support."
The "work plan" will pave the way for Vietnam's removal from
the list and a positive exchange of high-level visits, Dr.
Green replied, adding that both sides need to exchange
diplomatic notes or other written instruments to consolidate
and clarify the issue.


4. (SBU) Another way to improve communication between the
United States and Vietnam is the opening of a "second track"
dialogue on human rights and religious freedom issues, Dr.
Green said. The track could include think tanks,
universities, religious groups and other institutions and
allow for broader U.S.-Vietnam engagement. The Ambassador
observed that religious organizations in the United States
are a very positive force in dealing with HIV/AIDS, an area
of close U.S.-Vietnam cooperation; a second track is another
opportunity for useful exchange on their efforts to help
address social problems. The Foreign Minister said this is
an "excellent idea" and said the GVN is "ready to welcome
and send religious delegations."


5. (SBU) From the Vietnamese perspective, the tough issue is
WTO accession. The GVN hopes to "conclude negotiations with
the United States very soon" to pave the way for Vietnam's
accession, FM Nien said. Dr. Green replied that the office
of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) is "working hard and
determined to wrap up negotiations as soon as possible."
One of the obstacles is legislation the Vietnamese National
Assembly needed to pass. Perhaps, Dr. Green suggested, it
would be easier to push through "umbrella legislation" that
would supercede existing trade laws. This solution had
worked in China, he noted. Whether or not negotiations have
concluded by a Prime Minister visit in June or July, the two
sides should be able to claim they are moving in that
direction. FM Nien noted that Vietnam also would need to be
granted Permanent Normal Trading Relations (PNTR) status.
Dr. Green responded that this will require a Congressional
vote and that because many members of Congress are very
interested in Vietnam, it will be necessary to convince many
of them individually that PNTR for Vietnam is the right
move. The Ambassador noted that further releases of
political prisoners, progress on the "work plan" and action
on commercial issues of interest to U.S. companies are all
good preparations for the PNTR vote. The Foreign Minister
said he hopes all will go well, because "our friendship will
do a lot to consolidate peace and prosperity in the region."


6. (SBU) Foreign relations is not a zero-sum game, Dr. Green
said, and the U.S.-Vietnam relationship does not have to
come at the expense of Vietnam-China relations or any other
relationship. The United States is "on a good track" with
China, he said, and Vietnam has its own relationship with
other states. The benefit of this is that it motivates
China to develop good relations of its own with Vietnam and
other neighbors. One direct manifestation of this is
regional architecture systems in East Asia, Dr. Green said;
good dialogue among countries leads to regional architecture
institutions being open and inclusive. The United States
and Vietnam have common interests in this area particularly,
and should "conspire together" to guide the development of
new regional architecture institutions. From the U.S.
perspective, APEC is still the preeminent regional
organization in Asia and the Pacific, Dr. Green said. The
United States plays a leading role in APEC, and wants to
cooperate with Vietnam to prepare for both the upcoming APEC
summit in Korea and the 2006 summit in Vietnam, which
President Bush will probably attend. The United States is
focused on two main APEC themes, Dr. Green explained: trade
liberalization and facilitation and the regional integration
of bilateral free trade agreements; and, taking collective
steps to prevent terrorism and proliferation from becoming
consequences of increased and liberalized trade in the
region. FM Nien said he looks forward to working with the
United States on APEC and other issues, and sent his regards
to National Security Advisor Hadley.


7. (U) Dr. Green cleared this message.

MARINE