U.S.-VIETNAM HUMAN RIGHTS DIALOGUE: MEETING WITH

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 HANOI 000393

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/MLS AND DRL

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM KIRF PREL PGOV VM
SUBJECT: U.S.-VIETNAM HUMAN RIGHTS DIALOGUE: MEETING WITH
VFM LE VAN BANG


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1. (SBU) Summary: DRL A/S Barry Lowenkron, accompanied by
IRF Ambassador John Hanford met, February 20 with Vice
Foreign Minister Le Van Bang. After reviewing the bilateral
Human Rights Dialogue's morning session (septel),A/S
Lowenkron urged the GVN not to constrain NGOs under an
impending new law, adding that the Senate will be holding
hearings on worldwide threats to NGO activity. He also
raised the issue of internet freedom, noting the matter's
increasing importance in the United States. On the subject
of religious freedom, Ambassador Hanford remarked on the
significant progress to date, but cautioned that areas of
concern remain. VFM Bang said that progress on WTO is
essential to ensure that a positive mood surrounds the
President's visit, asked for U.S. support for an APEC that
advances regional goals, addressed in familiar terms
Vietnam's growing religious tolerance and pledged to work
with the United States on issues of concern, including
prisoners of conscience. End Summary.


2. (SBU) In between the morning and afternoon sessions of
the U.S.-Vietnam Bilateral Human Rights Dialogue (HRD),DRL
A/S Barry F. Lowenkron, accompanied by U.S. Ambassador-at-
Large for International Religious Freedom and Ambassador
Marine, met with Vice Foreign Minister Le Van Bang (full
participants' lists in Paragraph 13). A/S Lowenkron opened
by noting the President's and Secretary's strong interest in
the human rights situation in Vietnam and the desire to
advance our agenda in this area. Although the HRD had been
suspended in 2002, as a result of Prime Minister Phan Van
Khai's 2005 visit to Washington, the two sides have turned a
page. Vietnam and its dynamism since the promulgation of
its "doi moi" (renovation) policy are impressive, and the
United States does not want to see progress in human rights
lag behind significant advances in Vietnam and in the
bilateral relationship, A/S Lowenkron said.


3. (SBU) We would particularly like to see a number of
prisoners of concern released, the A/S continued, and we
will hand over an updated list. The list reflects the
release of Nguyen Khac Toan, which was welcomed by the
international community. The case of Pham Hong Son is of
serious concern to us; the Congress and the American people
will not understand why a country that wants better
relations with the United States would imprison someone for
translating and distributing a document from the State
Department website.

NGO Law and Freedom of the Internet
--------------


4. (SBU) There are two issues of growing interest in
Washington, A/S Lowenkron continued. The first is related
to the work of NGOs in advancing civil society. In our
view, NGOs can play an important role in building civil
society. As Vietnam moves to draw up an NGO law, it should
constrain NGO activities. Freedom of the internet is
another critical issue, about which Congress held hearings
last week. The Secretary has directed the establishment of
a Global Internet Freedom Task Force. This matter will
continue to grow in importance because the United States
feels very strongly about the freedom of the internet and
its ties to freedom of expression. Although Vietnam and its
laws will likely be the subject of discussion, other
countries will also be discussed, A/S Lowenkron observed.

Religious Freedom
--------------


5. (SBU) Ambassador Hanford noted that, during the morning
session's abbreviated discussion on religious freedom, he
had the opportunity to list Vietnam's important steps toward
progress in this area. The May 5, 2005, exchange of letters
required significant efforts in both Hanoi and Washington,
and we are grateful for what VFM Bang and the MFA did to
facilitate this. President Bush commented very positively
about the agreement and it appeared to impact well on the
Prime Minister's visit. The Secretary is also very
supportive of our efforts to make progress, and she
discussed religious freedom with Foreign Minister Nguyen Dzy
Nien in Busan in November 2005. Ambassador Hanford said he
may try to return to Vietnam soon to ensure that both sides
understand each other completely in relation to religious
freedom.


6. (SBU) On the issue of the re-designation of Vietnam as a
Country of Particular Concern in 2005, Ambassador Hanford
noted that Vietnam had not yet made enough progress to merit
delisting. There has been good progress in banning forced

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renunciations, although isolated incidents continue to
occur. The prisoner list has almost entirely been erased.
Registration and recognition remain key issues, particularly
as regards previously closed churches, and local authorities
need to do a better job implementing GVN policy. The
Central and Northwest Highlands are particular problem
areas, but there has been progress even there. The USG is
committed to removing this issue as an irritant to relations
and, as further progress occurs, we will hopefully be able
to remove Vietnam's CPC designation.


7. (SBU) Ambassador Marine noted that the HRD is not just a
meeting, but a process, and we look forward to continued
work in all aspects of our human rights concerns. Over the
past 18 months, our ability to discuss issues of concern has
greatly expanded at both the national and local levels.

VFM Bang Responds: APEC, President's Visit...
--------------


8. (SBU) VFM Bang said that the GVN is very encouraged by
bilateral relations, particularly the success of the PM's
visit. Vietnam is determined that 2006 should be a great
year for bilateral relations. Looking at APEC 2006, Vietnam
hopes to receive U.S. assistance in strengthening APEC and
having it work more effectively for the Asia-Pacific region.
On the President's trip, the GVN's goal is to create a
positive atmosphere conducive to his visit to Hanoi.
Vietnam will do its best to achieve this and will work as
hard as it did for the PM's visit to the United States.

WTO, Security, Religious Freedom
--------------


9. (SBU) One issue of concern is Vietnam's WTO accession,
VFM Bang continued. Everyone in Vietnam is expecting
Vietnam to accede this year, and there will be much
disappointment if there has not been a breakthrough by the
time of the President's visit. VFM Bang will accompany the
Vice Chairman of the National Assembly to Washington next
week to discuss this matter with members of Congress and
others. Vietnam is also looking at steps to strengthen mil-
mil cooperation with the United States and counterterrorism
information sharing.


10. (SBU) Vietnam's efforts to address issues of concern in
the areas of human rights and religious freedom are not just
to please the U.S. Congress, but are an integral part of
Vietnam's ongoing doi moi policy, VFM Bang continued.
Vietnam has come a long way in dealing with issues like
religious freedom and freedom of the press. Internet use
continues to increase rapidly, and close to 11 percent of
the population uses the internet, which is not far off the
international average. Vietnam has concerns about
children's exposure to negative things on the internet, but
it is willing to discuss this and other matters with the
United States.


11. (SBU) Vietnam will also continue to work with the United
States on prisoners of concern and will look at amnesties or
sentence reductions. Based on Ambassador Hanford's request,
the GVN hopes to be able to soon provide a province-by-
province breakdown on the implementation of the legal
framework on religion; so far, the response from the
provinces has been positive. Religion is now a phenomenon
in Vietnam, and new churches are being built all the time.
The GVN's policy is not to prevent this.

NGOs
--------------


12. (SBU) There are over 500 foreign NGOs in Vietnam and
they bring in around USD 200 million/year, VFM Bang said.
Vietnam now has a legal system to work with them (and VFM
Bang himself is chair of the Foreign NGO Affairs Committee).
Vietnam welcomes current NGO work in humanitarian and
economic issues, and would also welcome it in political
issues. A/S Lowenkron noted that Senator Lugar will hold
hearings in March or April to discuss the growing worldwide
efforts to crack down on NGO freedom. In closing, A/S
Lowenkron said there is much work to be done in the area of
human rights, and we have to continue our efforts to close
the gaps between this area and the more positive areas in
the bilateral relationship. We must do all we can to ensure
a successful presidential visit.


13. (SBU) List of participants:


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United States
--------------

Assistant Secretary Barry F. Lowenkron
Ambassador John V. Hanford
Ambassador Michael W. Marine
Patricia Davis, National Security Council
Michael Orona, DRL
Clarissa Adamson, DRL/IRF
Marc Knapper, Political Counselor
Ben Moeling, Political Officer, Hanoi

Vietnam
--------------

Vice Foreign Minister Le Van Bang

Mr. Pham Binh Minh, Director General, Department of
International Organizations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
(MFA)

Mr. Nguyen Quang Thang, Director General, Department of
Internal Affairs, Office of the Government

Mr. Tran Van Thanh, Deputy Director General, Department of
Security Advisory, General Security Department, Ministry of
Public Security

Mr. Nguyen Ba Hung, Deputy Director General, Americas
Department, MFA

Ms. Nguyen Thi Bach Tuyet, Deputy Director General, External
Relations Department, Committee for Religious Affairs

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Quynh, Desk Officer, Department of
International Organizations, MFA

Ms. Hoang Thi Thanh Nga, Desk Officer, Americas Department,
MFA

Mr. Le Chi Dzung, Desk Officer, Americas Department, MFA


14. (U) A/S Lowenkron and Ambassador Hanford cleared this
message.

MARINE