This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

050952Z Nov 01

2001HANOI02885 - CONFIDENTIAL
 
 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ0894

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FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 4581
INFO ASEAN COLLECTIVE
USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 002885 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/05/2006 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM ETRD VM CTERR BTA HUMANR
SUBJECT: SPOUTING THE PARTY LINE ALONG ROUTE ONE 
 
 
¶1. (U) CLASSIFIED BY POL/C SCOTT BELLARD, REASON: 1.5 
(D) 
 
¶2. (C) SUMMARY.  PROVINCIAL AUTHORITIES ALONG ROUTE ONE 
EXPRESSED TO POL/C THEIR CONDOLENCES ON THE 9/11 
TRAGEDIES AND OPPOSITION TO TERRORISM, SATISFACTION 
OVER THE BILATERAL TRADE AGREEMENT, AND DEEP OPPOSITION 
TO THE DRAFT VIETNAM HUMAN RIGHTS ACT.  THE UNIFORMITY 
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OF THEIR LANGUAGE SUGGESTS CENTRAL GUIDANCE, PROBABLY 
FROM THE FOREIGN MINISTRY, WHICH HAD APPARENTLY WORKED 
HARD TO CONVINCE THEM TO ARRANGE MEETINGS.  OFFICIALS 
SEEMED GLAD OF THE CHANCE TO DESCRIBE LOCAL CONDITIONS, 
AND WERE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE PROSPECTS FOR CONTINUING 
THE PROCESS OF STRENGTHENING BILATERAL TIES, ALTHOUGH 
SOME SUSPICION REMAINS ABOUT US GLOBAL OBJECTIVES.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
¶3.  (U)  POL/C AND POL FSN TRAVELED BY EMBASSY FOUR 
WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLE ALONG THE PICTURESQUE (BUT OFTEN 
DECREPIT) NATIONAL HIGHWAY ONE BETWEEN HO CHI MINH CITY 
AND HANOI OCTOBER 25-NOVEMBER 2 TO MEET WITH SENIOR 
OFFICIALS IN BINH THUAN, KHANH HOA, BINH DINH, QUANG 
NAM, QUANG BINH, AND NGHE AN PROVINCES, AS WELL AS IN 
HOI AN AND DANANG CITIES.  THE PRIMARY INTERLOCUTOR AT 
EACH STOP WAS EITHER THE CHAIRMAN OR VICE CHAIRMAN OF 
THE PROVINCIAL PEOPLE'S COMMITTEE (EQUIVALENT OF 
GOVERNOR OR VICE GOVERNOR), USUALLY ACCOMPANIED BY A 
VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE PROVINCIAL PEOPLE'S COUNCIL (LOCAL 
LEGISLATURE) AND CHAIRMAN OR DEPUTY OF THE PROVINCIAL 
EDUCATION OFFICE.  SEPTELS WILL FOCUS ON THE EVOLVING 
ROLES OF THE PROVINCIAL PEOPLE'S COUNCILS (LOCAL 
LEGISLATURES) AND LOCAL EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS AND 
EFFORTS, AS WELL AS A LOOK AT SELECTED CATHOLIC 
COMMUNITIES. 
 
SAD NEWS 
-------- 
 
¶4.  (C) AT SOME POINT IN EACH DISCUSSION (USUALLY AT 
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THE BEGINNING), THE SENIOR INTERLOCUTOR WOULD EXPRESS 
THE CONDOLENCES OF HIS PROVINCE TO THE VICTIMS AND 
FAMILIES OF THE VICTIMS OF THE SEPTEMBER 11 TRAGEDIES, 
AS WELL AS TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE IN GENERAL.  (WHILE 
EXPRESSING APPRECIATION, POL/C EMPHASIZED THE 
INTERNATIONAL NATURE OF THE TRAGEDY, WITH VICTIMS FROM 
ABOUT 80 COUNTRIES.)  THE PROVINCIAL OFFICIAL WOULD 
THEN EXPRESS OPPOSITION TO TERRORISM IN "EVERY FORM," 
OFTEN ADDING THAT VIETNAM ITSELF HAD BEEN THE VICTIM OF 
TERRORIST ATTACKS.  IN RESPONSE, POL/C REVIEWED ACTIONS 
BY THE USG TO ENSURE THE ARREST OF INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED 
IN THE RECENT BOMBING ATTEMPTS AT VIETNAMESE EMBASSIES 
IN BANGKOK AND MANILA, AND EXPRESSED APPRECIATION FOR 
THE GVN'S COOPERATION AS PART OF THE INTERNATIONAL 
CAMPAIGN AGAINST TERRORISM.  SEVERAL OFFICIALS ALSO 
EXPRESSED A HOPE FOR AN EARLY END TO THE ONGOING 
MILITARY CAMPAIGN IN AFGHANISTAN AND WORRIES ABOUT 
CIVILIAN CASUALTIES.  NGHE AN VICE CHAIRMAN HOANG TY 
SPENT MUCH OF THE DINNER HE HOSTED IN POL/C'S HONOR 
QUERYING ABOUT US INTENTIONS IN AFGHANISTAN AND WHAT 
APPEARED TO HIM US INDIFFERENCE TO CIVILIAN LOSSES. 
POL/C DESCRIBED US EFFORTS TO MINIMIZE CIVILIAN 
CASUALTIES AND LOSSES AS WELL AS EXTENSIVE USG EFFORTS 
TO PROVIDE HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO THE PEOPLE OF 
AFGHANISTAN. 
 
GLAD NEWS 
--------- 
 
¶5.  (C) TURNING TO A HAPPIER NOTE, PROVINCIAL 
AUTHORITIES WOULD THEN DECLARE THEIR SATISFACTION ABOUT 
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THE SENATE RATIFICATION OF THE BILATERAL TRADE 
AGREEMENT AND EXPRESS A CONVICTION THAT VIETNAM'S 
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY WOULD SHORTLY ALSO APPROVE IT.  KHANH 
HOA PROVINCIAL CHAIRMAN PHAM VAN CHI NOTED THAT THE 
AGREEMENT WOULD MARK A "NEW PHASE" IN BILATERAL 
RELATIONS AS WELL AS A BOOST TO LOCAL EXPORTS OF 
SEAFOOD PRODUCTS.  BINH DINH PROVINCIAL CHAIRMAN VU 
HOANG HA NOTED ITS "VERY POSITIVE" EFFECT ON BILATERAL 
TIES.  QUANG NAM PROVINCIAL VICE CHAIRMAN HO THI THANH 
LAM (THE SOLE FEMALE INTERLOCUTOR DURING THE ENTIRE 
TRIP) EXPRESSED HER PLEASURE OVER THE BTA AND ITS 
IMPORTANCE IN IMPROVING RELATIONS FURTHER, IN ADDITION 
TO BRINGING MORE US TRADE AND INVESTMENT TO HER 
PROVINCE.  DANANG FOREIGN AFFAIRS OFFICIALS NOTED THE 
POSITIVE IMPACT OF BTA ON ALL LOCALITIES, INCLUDING 
THEIR CITY.  QUANG BINH PROVINCIAL VICE CHAIRMAN PHAN 
VIET DUNG CALLED BTA A "GOOD STEP" IN THE VIETNAMESE- 
AMERICAN RELATIONSHIP. 
 
BAD NEWS 
-------- 
 
¶6.  (C)  USUALLY AT THE END OF THEIR PRESENTATIONS ON 
BILATERAL TIES, THE OFFICIALS WOULD ASSUME A STERN 
DEMEANOR AND DENOUNCE THE DRAFT VIETNAM HUMAN RIGHTS 
ACT.  KHANH HOA CHAIRMAN CHI LAMBASTED IT AS "GROSS 
INTERFERENCE" IN VIETNAM'S INTERNAL AFFAIRS.  BINH DINH 
CHAIRMAN HA SAID ITS PASSAGE BY THE SENATE WOULD BE A 
"BIG PROBLEM" FOR BILATERAL RELATIONS AND CITED THE 
"STRONG FEELINGS" OF PEOPLE IN HIS PROVINCE AGAINST IT. 
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HE URGED THE USG TO "STOP" SENATE PASSAGE.  QUANG NAM 
VICE CHAIRMAN LAM CALLED THE VHRA "RUDE INTERFERENCE" 
AND DEMANDED TO KNOW WHY THE US CONGRESS REFUSED TO 
"LISTEN TO THE VOICES OF THE VIETNAMESE PEOPLE" ABOUT 
THIS BILL, WHICH SHE SAID WOULD "HURT RELATIONS."  SHE 
ALSO CLAIMED THE VHRA VIOLATED THE "INDEPENDENCE AND 
SOVEREIGNTY" OF VIETNAM AND POINTED TO THE EXTENSIVE 
DAMAGE DONE BY THE US MILITARY IN HER PROVINCE DURING 
THE WAR AS AN EXAMPLE OF US VIOLATIONS OF VIETNAMESE 
HUMAN RIGHTS.  QUANG BINH VICE CHAIRMAN DUNG FAILED TO 
RAISE THE VHRA DURING THE FORMAL MEETING BUT THEN, AT 
THE DINNER HE HOSTED THAT EVENING, EXPLAINED THAT HE 
HAD TRIED TO "CONCENTRATE ON POSITIVE ASPECTS" DURING 
THE AFTERNOON TALKS BUT NONETHELESS WANTED TO DENOUNCE 
THE VHRA AS "RUDE INTERFERENCE." 
 
BUT LET'S BE FRIENDS 
-------------------- 
 
¶7.  (C)   THE OVERALL TENURE OF THE TALKS WAS WELCOMING 
AND PROVIDED THE OPPORTUNITY FOR SEEMINGLY CANDID 
EXCHANGES OF VIEWS ABOUT THESE AND OTHER TOPICS 
(SEPTELS).  BINH THUAN CHAIRMAN CHI STRESSED HOW MUCH 
HIS PROVINCE WANTED IMPROVED RELATIONS WITH THE US, 
ALTHOUGH HE DECRIED THE ACTIVITIES OF "SOME" US NGOS 
THAT "SAY THEY WILL DO ONE THING AND THEN DO ANOTHER," 
ESPECIALLY ENGAGING IN RELIGIOUS PROSELYTIZING.   KHANH 
HOA CHAIRMAN CHI EXPRESSED A HOPE FOR "BETTER AND 
BETTER" RELATIONS, TOWARD WHICH BOTH SIDES MUST 
"CONTINUE TO STRIVE."  BINH DINH CHAIRMAN HA NOTED THAT 
BETTER RELATIONS WERE CLEARLY "IN THE INTEREST" OF BOTH 
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SIDES.  QUANG NAM VICE CHAIRMAN LAM SAID THAT HER 
PROVINCE DEEPLY WANTED "NORMAL RELATIONS" AFTER THE 
YEARS OF SACRIFICE AND MARTYRDOM DURING THE WAR, WHICH 
MUST NEVER BE REPEATED, SHE STRESSED.  QUANG BINH'S 
VICE CHAIRMAN DUNG SAID HIS PROVINCE "CARED GREATLY" 
ABOUT PROMOTING THE NATIONAL POLICY OF MULTIFACETED 
FOREIGN RELATIONS AND THE NEED FOR MORE COOPERATION 
WITH THE US. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶8.  (C)  THESE PROVINCIAL AUTHORITIES, WHILE APPARENTLY 
HAVING FLEXIBILITY IN DISCUSSING PROVINCIAL CONDITIONS 
AND PROSPECTS, APPEARED CLEARLY TO BE READING FROM A 
PRE-APPROVED SCRIPT REGARDING THE SENSITIVE ISSUES OF 
INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM, BTA, AND VHRA.  GIVEN THE 
SIMILARITY OF THEIR COMMENTS ON THESE TOPICS, EMBASSY 
SUSPECTS THAT THE MFA PROVIDED TALKING POINTS AND 
INSTRUCTED THEM TO RAISE THESE POINTS.  AS THE MFA HAS 
INDICATED TO CHARGE THAT IT HAD ACTIVELY WORKED TO 
CONVINCE THE PROVINCES TO ARRANGE POL/C'S VISITS, IT IS 
LIKELY THAT PROVISION OF TALKING POINTS WAS ANOTHER WAY 
OF GIVING THE PROVINCIAL AUTHORITIES GREATER CONFIDENCE 
THAT THEY WERE ALL READING FROM THE SAME BRIEFING BOOK 
ON ISSUES BEYOND THEIR USUAL MANDATE.  THERE IS 
NONETHELESS A CLEAR RECOGNITION IN THE PROVINCES OF THE 
VITAL IMPORTANCE IN CONTINUING THE PROCESS OF 
NORMALIZING AND IMPROVING BILATERAL RELATIONS WITH THE 
US.  AT THE SAME TIME, HOWEVER, THERE ALSO REMAIN 
LINGERING UNHAPPY MEMORIES ABOUT THE DESTRUCTION DURING 
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THE WAR, AS WELL AS SOME SUSPICION ABOUT US GLOBAL 
OBJECTIVES TODAY. 
PORTER 
 
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