VZCZCXRO4658
PP RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHHI #0393/01 0530930
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 220930Z FEB 06
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0857
INFO RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY 0566
RUEHZS/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE

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 
 
 
HANOI 00000393  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
¶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 
 
HANOI 00000393  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
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: 
 
 
HANOI 00000393  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
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