GVN PROVIDES INFO, ASKS FOR AID AGAINST

UNCLAS HANOI 000004

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL VM CNARC
SUBJECT: GVN PROVIDES INFO, ASKS FOR AID AGAINST
"TERRORIST"

REF: 12/31 ZARING-ADAMS TELCON AND EMAIL


1. (SBU) On December 31, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
(MFA) delivered a written demarche, translated below, to
Poloff (who provided it soon after to EAP/BCLTV (ref)). The
document recounts the plan of a Vietnamese American group
called the Provisional Government of Vietnam (a.k.a the
Government of Free Vietnam in Exile),led by Nguyen Huu
Chanh, to hold a national convention in Anaheim, California,
on January 2, 2005. Included with the demarche were a copy
of a brochure for the convention and a registration form.
The note points out specifically that, according to the
convention brochure, a "representative of the President of
the United States" would be an event speaker. Furthermore,
in the note, the GVN requests that the USG take steps to
"prevent the convention."


2. (SBU) Comment: This is the second request we have
received from the GVN for assistance with Nguyen Huu Chanh
and the Government of Free Vietnam in Exile. Chanh and his
group are seen as a serious threat by some in the GVN, and
clearly monitored closely. Embassy believes that any
information we can provide to the GVN on Chanh and his group
would be well received in Hanoi. End Comment.


3. Unofficial Embassy translation of December 31, 2004, GVN
note:

//Begin Unofficial Translation//

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Socialist Republic of
Vietnam greets the Embassy of the United States of America
in Hanoi and requests to present the following information:

According to information we have received, Nguyen Huu Chanh
and a number of hostile elements plan to organize a so-
called "National Convention" on January 2, 2005, in the
Anaheim Convention Center, 800 West Katella Ave, Anaheim, CA
92802, in order to reveal the "National Leader" and the
"Leadership Committee" of a group called the "Provisional
Government of Free Vietnam," and at the same time to create
plans against the country of Vietnam. According to the
proposed program, a representative of the President of the
United States will also participate in this "Convention."
(see attached)

Vietnam has many times presented the case of Nguyen Huu
Chanh to the Americans. Nguyen Huu Chanh not only has
undertaken many terrorist activities against the Socialist
Republic of Vietnam, but also is being sought by the
international office Interpol for the smuggling of arms and
terrorism. The issue of Nguyen Huu Chanh and his
collaborators, who are planning to organize a "National
Convention" and to "establish a Government" on January 2,
2005, on United States territory, is a provocation that
cannot be accepted by Vietnam. This activity not only aims
at undermining the Government of the Socialist Republic of
Vietnam -- an autonomous nation, having diplomatic relations
with the United States -- but also aims to divide the ethnic
unity that Vietnam is working hard to develop. At the same
time this activity goes against the direction of growing
positive relations between Vietnam and the United States.

Consequently, Vietnam proposes to the United States to take
appropriate measures to prevent Nguyen Huu Chanh and his
collaborators from organizing this so called "National
Convention" mentioned above as well as other activities of a
hostile nature against Vietnam, and at the same time
requests that the United States collaborate with Vietnam to
arrest Nguyen Huu Chanh and render him to Vietnam for trial.

On this occasion the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the
Socialist Republic of Vietnam presents its sincere
salutations to the Embassy of the United States.

Hanoi, December 31, 2004.

//End Unofficial Translation//

BOARDMAN