Identifier | Created | Classification | Origin |
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06HOCHIMINHCITY1047 | 2006-09-14 08:55:00 | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | Consulate Ho Chi Minh City |
VZCZCXRO2777 RR RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHNH RUEHPB DE RUEHHM #1047 2570855 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 140855Z SEP 06 FM AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1456 INFO RUEHHI/AMEMBASSY HANOI 1021 RUCNARF/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE RUEHROV/AMEMBASSY VATICAN 0001 RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY 1525 |
UNCLAS HO CHI MINH CITY 001047 |
1. (SBU) Over dinner September 13, Archbishop of HCMC Cardinal Pham Minh Man told the Consul General that conditions for the Catholic Church continue to improve gradually in Vietnam. Vietnam's bishops met in Hue earlier in September to discuss next steps in promoting the interests of the Catholic Church. The GVN sent two members of the national Committee for Religious Affairs to attend the conference. The Party Secretary of Thua Thien Hue and other senior provincial officials hosted a dinner for the bishops at the Hue Citadel. The bishops drafted a joint letter, welcoming the promotion of Nguyen Minh Triet to the Presidency. Alluding to the Church's ongoing discussions with the GVN to establish full diplomatic relations, the letter called on the GVN to return three confiscated properties to the Church: the former residence of the papal nuncio in Hanoi, 15 hectares (37 acres) of property at the La Vang pilgrimage site in Quang Tri province, and a seminary in Dalat. Quiet talks between the two sides continue, but the Cardinal would not speculate as to when a Vatican-GVN deal could be struck. 2. (SBU) The Cardinal recounted that he called on Triet in HCMC during his last few days as HCMC Party Secretary. Triet told the Cardinal that, during the deliberations ahead of the Party Congress, he had proposed merging the positions of the General Secretary and the President, but the idea was rejected. Triet SIPDIS also expressed his disappointment that few in the Communist Party had the courage to "make change." The Cardinal said he encouraged Triet to support the HCMC Archdiocese's efforts to combat HIV/AIDS. 3. (SBU) Focusing on the Church's HIV/AIDS efforts, the Cardinal said that the Archdiocese has identified an appropriate property in HCMC's Cu Chi district for its proposed integrated, community-based HIV/AIDS care center (ref A). Catholic businessmen in HCMC are negotiating to purchase the property. The Cardinal foresees problems in obtaining construction permits and will seek USG advocacy with HCMC officials should the permitting process stall. He welcomed Ambassador-at-Large for Religious Affairs recent discussions with HCMC officials in support of the Archdiocese's HIV/AIDS activities (ref B). The Cardinal and his staff confirmed ref A reporting that the Catholic church thus far has been unable to register as a legal entity or NGO for the purpose of providing HIV/AIDS support. The church now is exploring registering some of its HIV/AIDS operations as a business. 4. (SBU) Cardinal Man said he planned to travel to Washington from October 9 to 14. He will participate in a prayer breakfast and other activities, but also would welcome the opportunity to meet with USG officials. Turning to the visit of the President to Vietnam for the APEC Leader's Summit, the Cardinal noted that he would be delighted to participate or preside over a religious event for the President, particularly one that "emphasized reconciliation and cooperation." WINNICK |