VZCZCXRO0715
RR RUEHHM
DE RUEHHI #0111/01 0130655
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 130655Z JAN 06
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0515
INFO RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY 0355
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0561

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 000111 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM KIRF VM
SUBJECT: VIETNAM CPC DEMARCHE DELIVERED IN GENERAL MEETING 
WITH AFM HUNG 
 
REF: STATE 3137 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: The Ambassador met with Assistant FM 
Nguyen Duc Hung to deliver reftel demarche on a way forward 
on religious freedom, and took the opportunity to raise 
other bilateral issues, including human rights, family 
reunification for Vietnamese refugees in the United States, 
repatriation of Vietnamese criminal aliens, the new Embassy 
compound and the American Humanitarian Efforts memorial.  He 
also delivered a demarche on UN reform, reported septel. 
End Summary. 
 
CPC DEMARCHE 
------------ 
 
¶2. (SBU) The Ambassador met January 12 with Assistant 
Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Duc Hung, and delivered 
reftel demarche, including the "road map" for Vietnam's 
removal from the list of Countries of Particular Concern for 
Religious Freedom (CPC).  Passing on the document, he noted 
that the GVN should be mindful of the U.S. policy clock on 
CPC.  The working level review of the CPC countries occurs 
in June, he said, with a policy-level decision expected in 
August or September.  Therefore, Vietnam should try to 
accomplish as much as possible before June. 
 
¶3. (SBU) The Ambassador told AFM Hung that the overall 
objective is to move religious freedom to the positive side 
of the ledger in the U.S.-Vietnam bilateral relationship, 
and thus demonstrate that the two sides have been able to 
address a difficult issue in a positive way.  Resolving this 
issue before the visit of President Bush and the APEC Summit 
in November, 2006 would certainly be in Vietnam's interests, 
he noted. 
 
¶4. (SBU) After Ambassador Marine highlighted some key areas 
of the demarche, AFM Hung responded.  The GVN is committed 
at the highest levels to implementing the Prime Minister's 
instruction and the Ordinance on Religion, he said.  "The 
Prime Minister has strong interest and concern on this 
issue," he continued, "but there is still sometimes some 
confusion at the local level."  AFM Hung related how he had 
been personally tasked with traveling to the Central 
Highlands to see how the PM's instruction and the Ordinance 
were being implemented.  He found that the provincial 
officials profess that they are carefully and scrupulously 
enforcing the central government's mandate, but that at the 
district level and below the knowledge of the new laws 
varies.  Still, he said, there has been progress.  The 
passing of Christmas without "disorderly incidents" despite 
widespread Christian celebrations is an indicator that the 
local authorities in the Central Highlands are finding ways 
to protect the country from "elements who wish to use 
religion to create disorder" while protecting religious 
freedom.  In the Central Highlands in 2005, AFM Hung said, 
the provincial governments sent letters to "all the 
religious chapters" inviting them to organize Christmas 
festivities and offering to provide security against anyone 
who would disrupt these festivities for their own purposes. 
 
¶5. (SBU) The Ambassador acknowledged that there have been 
positive developments in Vietnam, and asked for AFM Hung's 
assistance in documenting those positive developments and 
ensuring that they continue.  The GVN needs to make a 
concerted effort to educate the international community, 
including the United States, about changes in Vietnam's 
religious environment.  AFM Hung pledged to do so, and added 
that the USG's information is sometimes distorted, provided 
by those who have ulterior political motives. 
 
OTHER ISSUES 
------------ 
 
VISAS 93 
-------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) The Ambassador noted that he had received good news 
from Dak Lak Province, where 27 individuals from nine 
families received passports and other documents they needed 
to begin the necessary out-processing formalities associated 
with their applications to join their family members who 
immigrated to the United States as refugees.  He said he 
hopes this is a signal that all pending cases will now go 
through, which would be a significant step towards achieving 
our mutual goal of family reunification. 
 
AMNESTIES AND HUMAN RIGHTS 
-------------------------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) The Ambassador said he understands that there may 
 
HANOI 00000111  002 OF 002 
 
 
not be an amnesty this year during the Vietnamese New Year 
period, but he hopes that the GVN will consider our request 
to release several individuals of concern, including Pham 
Hong Son.  AFM Hung said that he talked to officials from 
the Ministry of Public Security who believe that the United 
States has some incorrect information regarding some of the 
cases of concern.  AFM Hung promised to get more specifics 
and get back to us. 
 
¶8. (SBU) Regarding dissident Hoang Minh Chinh, the 
Ambassador acknowledged that Chinh has not suffered any 
harassment in recent weeks, but noted that there are still 
plain-clothes police near his home and his cell phone and 
internet service have been cut off.  Chinh should be treated 
like any Vietnamese citizen and allowed to live in peace, 
the Ambassador urged. 
 
REPATRIATION 
------------ 
 
¶9. (SBU) The Ambassador raised the issue of repatriation of 
Vietnamese citizens who have lost the eligibility to remain 
in the United States by committing illegal acts.  The United 
States wants to restart discussions on this issue, he said, 
but need to get past the idea of resettlement payments, 
which the United States cannot accept.  The United States 
does not want to invoke restrictions on visa issuances, but 
this is a possibility if Vietnam does not meet its 
obligations under international law to accept its citizens. 
AFM Hung had no response on this issue. 
 
NEW EMBASSY COMPOUND 
-------------------- 
 
¶10. (SBU) The Ambassador thanked AFM Hung for his efforts to 
assist the Embassy in obtaining agreement on the Agreed 
Minute for the land for the New Embassy Compound (NEC).  He 
asked that we continue to concentrate on this issue and 
finalize the acquisition within the next six months.  The 
State Department, the Ambassador said, will be in touch with 
the Vietnamese Embassy in Washington to discuss the next 
steps on the GVN's desire to move forward with property in 
San Francisco and Washington.  AFM Hung said he is very glad 
that there has been progress on this issue, and that he 
hopes the Vietnamese Embassy and Consulate General in San 
Francisco will be able to resolve their outstanding issues 
over land and buildings as a result. 
 
AMERICAN HUMANITARIAN EFFORTS MEMORIAL 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶11. (SBU) The Ambassador asked if the MFA has had a chance 
to consider his earlier proposal that the United States and 
Vietnam work on creating a memorial in Vietnam recognizing 
the humanitarian efforts of Americans during the war.  AFM 
Hung informed the Ambassador that the MFA spoke with the 
Vietnam Veterans' Association about this issue, but 
unfortunately "we do not yet have any common understanding 
on this issue."  The Ambassador noted that the American 
Secretary of Veterans' Affairs is considering a visit to 
 
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Vietnam, and said that the memorial could be a deliverable 
for that visit.  AFM Hung noted that the visit of the VA 
Secretary would be very sensitive, and likely not possible 
 
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before the National Communist Party Congress scheduled to 
take place in April. 
 
MARINE