AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES HUMAN RIGHTS CASES, CONSULAR

C O N F I D E N T I A L HANOI 000748

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/24/2018
TAGS: PHUM PREL VM
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES HUMAN RIGHTS CASES, CONSULAR
DISTRICT ISSUE WITH SECURITY CHIEF

Classified By: CDA Jonathan Aloisi. Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary. During a June 20 meeting with Ministry of
Public Security Vice Minister Nguyen Van Huong, the
Ambassador again urged the GVN to take positive action on
several human rights cases. The Vice Minister's response was
noncommittal. Noting apparent GVN "security concerns" about
an expanded Ho Chi Minh City consular district, the
Ambassador queried the Vice Minister for his views on
resolving this issue. VM Huong said Southern Vietnam
consists of distinctive regions with separate administrative
structures, for which a single consular district would not be
appropriate. He suggested that a U.S. consular presence in
Danang could be a partial solution. End summary.

Bui Kim Thanh Released, but Stop the Harassment
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2. (C) The Ambassador's meeting with Ministry of Public
Security (MPS) Vice Minister Nguyen Van Huong was a chance to
follow up on cases raised during the Human Rights Dialogue in
May. The Ambassador noted that the recent release of land
rights activist Bui Kim Thanh from a mental hospital was
welcome news and that processing for her resettlement in the
U.S. was proceeding. However, the Ambassador mentioned
reports that Ms. Thanh was being harassed by police in Ho Chi
Minh City and urged VM Huong to look into the matter. The
Vice Minister dismissed such reports, saying his ministry
"cannot expend its forces to monitor such persons," but said
he would contact local authorities to ask them not to do
anything that would "create a misunderstanding that the MPS
has her under surveillance."

Prisoners' Behavior Doesn't Merit Amnesty
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3. (C) The Ambassador urged the Vietnamese Government to
reconsider releasing Le Thi Cong Nhan, as well as to release
Nguyen Van Dai next month when he will be eligible for
amnesty. VM Huong responded that the GVN had made a "special
effort" to review Nhan's case because DRL Assistant Secretary
David Kramer had raised it during the Human Rights Dialogue.
However, prison officials reported that Nhan regularly
violates prison regulations and that such behavior does not
justify release. VM Huong suggested that both Nhan and Dai
could be released as part of the next general amnesty on
Vietnamese National Day (September 2),but only if they show
respect for Vietnamese law and prison regulations.


4. (C) Concerning Pham Hong Son, a prospective NED
Reagan-Fascell fellow, the Ambassador again asked VM Huong to
make it possible for Son to get a passport. The Vice
Minister explained that, while a condition of Son's amnesty
is to report regularly to local authorities, the passport
matter would be considered. VM Huong concluded by saying
that "we cannot solve all cases at one time, or else public
opinion would object to the appearance of U.S. interference
in Vietnam's internal affairs. That would make cooperation
more difficult on other issues."

HCMC Consular District: Should Conform to GVN Admin Units
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5. (C) Concerning the Ho Chi Minh City consular district
issue, the Ambassador said the two sides had hoped to reach
agreement in time to allow the opening of a Vietnamese
Consulate in Houston during PM Dung's visit. However, MFA
commented that "security conditions" had prevented the
Vietnamese side from recognizing the consulate's jurisdiction
in all 32 southern and central provinces. VM Huong responded
with a description of two sub-regions within the proposed
consular district, Southwest Vietnam and the Central
Highlands, whose identity in terms of terrain, ethnic
composition and social and economic development differentiate
them from the Ho Chi Minh City area. He said it would be
"inappropriate" to define the Ho Chi Minh consular district
to include those areas because such a district would not
conform to Vietnamese "administrative policies." VM Huong
summed up by saying the consular district could include some
areas outside Ho Chi Minh City, but not the entire South. He
also suggested that the Central Highlands area could be
supported by a new consulate in Danang. In the interim, he
recommended that visits by consulate staff beyond the
boundary of the agreed upon Ho Chi Minh City district should
be discussed with the MFA in Hanoi.
MICHALAK