Codel McHugh Discusses Fullest Possible Accounting

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 HANOI 000441

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV, H/EAP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV OVIP VM HIV AIDS WTO RELFREE HUMANR ETMIN BTA
SUBJECT: Codel McHugh Discusses Fullest Possible Accounting
with Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan, Other Vietnamese
Officials


1. (U) Summary: Representatives and Armed Services
Committee Members John McHugh, Jim Marshall and Ken Calvert
met February 22 with Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan, Vice
Foreign Minister Le Van Bang, National Assembly Foreign
Relations Committee Chairman Vu Mao and Vice Minister of
Defense Colonel General Nguyen Huy Hieu to discuss fullest
possible accounting for MIAs and the overall bilateral
relationship. The Codel expressed gratitude for GVN
assistance in MIA accounting activities and pressed for
expanded cooperation by allowing unfettered archival access,
permitting activities to resume in the Central Highlands and
agreeing to a medevac helicopter to support site activities.
On resuming operations in the Central Highlands, VFM Le Van
Bang asked for a list of specific cases and locations and
promised to do his best to persuade the relevant officials
to support the resumption of Joint POW/MIA Accounting
Command activities in that region. He also pledged to
provide more archival materials. Vice Minister of Defense
Hieu, on the subject of U.S. military training assistance,
expressed in positive terms the possibility of reaching an
International Military Training and Education (IMET)
Agreement with the United States. The Codel's interlocutors
discussed in familiar terms other areas of the bilateral
relationship, urging U.S. support for Vietnam's WTO
accession and describing the positive advances Vietnam has
made in religious freedom and human rights. End Summary.

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan
--------------


2. (SBU) Representatives and Members of the House Armed
Services Committee John McHugh (R-NY),Jim Marshall (D-GA)
and Ken Calvert (R-CA) met February 22 with Deputy Prime
Minister Vu Khoan. The Ambassador, Pol/C, JPAC Det 2
Commander and A/DATT were also present. The Deputy Prime
Minister opened by remarking on the significance of 2005 as
marking the tenth anniversary of the normalization of U.S.-
Vietnam bilateral relations and welcomed the significant
progress both countries have made in advancing their ties.
In addition to economic relations, cooperation in other
areas, such as the fullest possible accounting of missing
American personnel, HIV/AIDS care and prevention and
defense, has also been significant. However, "there
continue to be obstacles in the relationship," and both
sides should make an effort to "resolve issues left by the
past."


3. (SBU) DPM Khoan expressed the GVN's hope that the United
States and Vietnam could formulate a "framework for
bilateral cooperation" (NFI). He also urged the United
States to support Vietnam's WTO accession, suggested that a
number of agreements could be reached before the Prime
Minister's proposed visit to the United States in June,
called for increasing bilateral discussions and exchanges,
particularly in the area of national defense and
international affairs and pressed the United States to
"overcome" Vietnam's designation as a Country of Particular
Concern (CPC) for religious freedom violations. "As you can
see, there is no religious suppression in Vietnam," DPM
Khoan said. On the issue of "trade difficulties," the DPM
noted that resolving these "will demand our attention and
efforts" and should be dealt with through "mutual respect
and benefits."


4. (SBU) Representative McHugh responded by expressing the
Codel's gratitude for the GVN's cooperation in our fullest
possible accounting efforts to date. Additional assistance
in resolving "last known alive" cases would also be welcome,
as would greater archival access and GVN permission to
conduct investigation and recovery operations in the Central
Highlands. Greater bilateral cooperation could perhaps help
Vietnam to resolve its own MIA cases. The United and
Vietnam have come a long way since normalization, and, while
issues remain in areas such as religious freedom, growth and
progress in the relationship are key, Mr. McHugh said. He
added that the United States looks forward to Vietnam's
accession to the World Trade Organization, but expressed
some concern over the National Assembly's ability to bring
all Vietnamese laws into compliance with WTO rules in a
timely fashion.


5. (SBU) Noting that he served in Vietnam 35 years ago as an
Infantry Ranger, Congressman Marshall expressed his
gratitude on behalf of all veterans for Vietnam's
cooperative efforts accounting for MIA's. Access to
archives without time constraints as well as permission to
conduct activities in the Central Highlands are critical,
Representative Marshall underlined. Congressman Calvert,
noting that a large number of ethnic Vietnamese live in his
district, expressed his support for expanding trade and
other ties. At the close of the meeting, the Codel
presented DPM Khoan with a letter to Prime Minister Phan Van
Khai thanking the GVN for its assistance and urging
increased cooperation in resolving missing personnel cases.
Attached to the letter was a list of MIAs from the three
Congressmen's districts (copy of letter faxed to EAP/BCLTV).

Vice Foreign Minister Le Van Bang
--------------


6. (U) During an earlier meeting with Vice Foreign Minister
Le Van Bang, the Codel members thanked the GVN for its
efforts to help to resolve MIA cases and stressed the
importance of continued fullest possible accounting
cooperation, particularly regarding allowing both unfettered
archival access with no time limit and resumption of Joint
POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) activities in the Central
Highlands. Congressman McHugh observed that progress had
been made recently on the issue of underwater recovery
operations but added that the question of GVN permission for
a medevac helicopter to support field activities remains
unresolved. Representative McHugh also expressed his hope
for continued GVN efforts to address human rights and
religious freedom issues and, on the issue of trade, said he
looks forward to the permanent normal trade relations (PNTR)
vote for Vietnam.


7. (SBU) VFM Le Van Bang, in addition to praising the
progress the bilateral relationship has seen over the last
ten years, observed that the United States and Vietnam now
have many "areas of understanding," such as in defense and
MIA accounting cooperation. Vietnam has endeavored to make
progress in issues related to human rights and religious
freedom and hopes to continue to receive U.S. support for
WTO accession. In fact, Vietnam hopes to conclude its
bilateral negotiations with the United States before China
and have something to announce on the occasion of Prime
Minister Phan Van Khai's visit to Washington in June, VFM
Bang said.


8. (SBU) Turning to fullest possible accounting, VFM Bang
noted that joint field activities continued to proceed
successfully. On activities in the Central Highlands, the
Vietnamese side has asked for specific cases and locations.
Once these were in hand -- although it will be "difficult to
persuade those concerned" -- VFM Bang promised to "work with
you." VFM Bang also pledged to "try to hand over more
archival materials."

National Assembly
--------------


9. (SBU) Meeting with National Assembly Foreign Relations
Committee Chair Vu Mao, the Codel expressed its gratitude
for Vietnam's support for fullest possible accounting
activities and urged further and expanded cooperation in the
future. Chairman Mao said he recognizes the importance of
MIA accounting and pledged continued cooperation in the
future. Vietnam has its own heavy burden of missing
soldiers - more than 300,000 - and it is sometimes difficult
to explain to the Vietnamese people why the GVN is doing
more to account for American missing than Vietnamese.
However, Vietnam is prepared to continue to render
assistance to the United States, the Chairman said.


10. (SBU) Bilateral cooperation is flourishing, and Vietnam
is grateful for U.S. assistance in implementing the
Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA),Chairman Mao continued.
Vietnam's legal system and experience are "insufficient,"
but Vietnam continues to learn and gain experience, such as
from the recent U.S. shrimp anti-dumping case. The issue of
human rights remains an area of disagreement between the
United States and Vietnam, and, regrettably, the U.S. House
of Representatives passed the Vietnam Human Rights Act.
Human rights and religious freedom in Vietnam are protected
by Vietnam's Constitution, and local officials who "make
mistakes" are punished and sometimes fired. The GVN's major
concern is how to ensure the Vietnamese people are happy and
prosperous. Some have attempted to use religion to create a
separate Montagnard state, but this is unacceptable.
Chairman Mao concluded by expressing his hope for greater
exchanges between parliamentarians in both countries.

Vice Minister of Defense Colonel General Nguyen Huy Hieu
-------------- --------------


11. (SBU) Meeting with Vice Minister of Defense Colonel
General Nguyen Huy Hieu, the Codel expressed its gratitude
for Vietnam's support for fullest possible accounting
activities and urged further and expanded cooperation in the
future. Colonel General Hieu said he recognizes the
importance of MIA accounting and considers it a humanitarian
issue that the Ministry of Defense fully supports. He also
noted the bilateral military-to-military relationship is
growing thanks to activities such as U.S. Navy ship visits
and the planned co-hosting with the U.S. Pacific Command
(USPACOM) of the multilateral Asia-Pacific Military Medical
Conference (APMMC) in Hanoi in May 2005. In the recent
past, Vietnam welcomed two U.S. Navy ships and plans to
welcome another very soon. At some point in the future,
Vietnam hopes to send a Vietnamese Navy vessel to call at a
U.S. port. Colonel General Hieu offered his thanks to the
USG for the support it has provided for a demining survey in
three provinces and said that the GVN is moving ahead with
plans for Phase Two of the project. He also expressed
support for the Ministry of Defense's cooperation with the
United States on the International and Military Training
(IMET) program, stating, "The Ministry of Defense has asked
the Government of Vietnam to sign the IMET agreement."

Comment
--------------


12. (SBU) The general tone of every call was positive and
cooperative, with the CODEL's hosts offering support for
continued development of the bilateral relationship across
nearly every front. Notably, the Ministry of National
Defense's expressed support for signing an IMET Agreement
was unexpected. The Ministry has been reluctant to enter
into this agreement because of the human rights vetting
requirement. Vice Minister Hieu's comments indicate a
change in policy and Post will actively follow up to try to
close this deal and initiate an IMET program with Vietnam.


13. (U) Codel McHugh cleared this message.

MARINE