VZCZCXRO3335
RR RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHHI #0209/01 0310941
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 310941Z JAN 07
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4514
INFO RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH 2453
RUEHZS/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE
RUEHROV/AMEMBASSY VATICAN 0010

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 HANOI 000209 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/MLS, DRL/IRF, EUR/WE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL KIRF PHUM PGOV HUMANR VM
SUBJECT: HANOI ARCHBISHOP NOTES PROGRESS AND PROBLEMS FOR VIETNAM'S 
CATHOLICS 
 
Ref: A) Vatican 0025; B) 06 Hanoi 3058; C) Hanoi 100; 
D) 06 Hanoi 2511 
 
HANOI 00000209  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1. (SBU) On January 29, Hanoi Archbishop Ngo Quang Kiet told the 
Ambassador that conditions for Catholics in northern Vietnam are 
steadily improving.  Christmas 2006 was festive, and the Church was 
able to send priests to celebrate Christmas in one previously 
problematic northern province.  That said, the Church still faces 
some GVN prejudice and continued engagement by the international 
community with the GVN is needed to ensure further progress.  The 
training of priests is now adequate.  The Archdiocese plans to 
develop more charitable programs in the north including an HIV/AIDS 
treatment center in Hanoi.  Catholic-Protestant relations are 
improving following President Bush's participation in the first ever 
ecumenical service in Vietnam during APEC 2006.  End Summary. 
 
The Archbishop comes to Lunch 
----------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) On January 29, the Ambassador hosted a lunch with Hanoi 
Archbishop Ngo Quang Kiet and Father Dang Duc Ngan, Vicar General of 
the Hanoi Archdiocese.  This was the first time Kiet or any 
representative of the Hanoi Archdiocese has been willing to meet 
privately with us at the Ambassador's Residence, despite our 
long-standing invitation.  In addition to the Prime Minister's 
January 25 call on Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican (Ref A and 
septel), Kiet discussed conditions for the Church over Christmas 
2006, continuing problems, Kiet's plans to develop more charitable 
programs in the north including an HIV/AIDS hospice in Hanoi, the 
Church's interaction with Catholics in other countries and 
Catholic-Protestant relations following the President's 
participation in the first ever ecumenical service in Vietnam during 
APEC 2006. 
 
Christmas 2006 Saw Improvements 
------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) Kiet stated that Christmas 2006 in Hanoi was very festive, 
with many decorations on shops and houses -- proof that Christmas 
has become a social event and a Vietnamese festival (Ref B). 
Outside of Hanoi, conditions for Christmas celebrations were also 
somewhat improved (Ref C).  For example, previously problematic Ha 
Giang Province allowed two priests from Cao Bang Province to travel 
to Ha Giang Town to celebrate Mass with the province's Catholics. 
Hoa Binh Province, on the other hand, continued to refuse permission 
for the Church to assign priests from Hung Hoa Diocese to minister 
to Catholics at Christmas outside of two districts which already 
have assigned priests. 
 
¶4. (SBU) The Ambassador noted that Cua Bac, the Catholic Church that 
hosted the ecumenical service for President Bush on November 19, 
2006, and the main church for expat Catholics in Hanoi, was not 
allowed to have a special Christmas Day or Christmas Eve service. 
(Note:  Emboffs report that the priest told the congregation they 
could not have a special service "because the community must only 
meet at 10 a.m. on Sundays," though carols would be sung on December 
¶31.  On that day, however, the priest announced Christmas carols 
could not be sung "for technical reasons."  End Note.)  Kiet 
expressed surprise at this information because he had assumed that 
there was a midnight mass at all of the churches under his 
responsibility on Christmas day.  He asked Father Ngan to 
investigate the report. 
 
Catholics still facing prejudice... 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) Despite the relative success of Christmas 2006, Kiet 
observed that there is still considerable prejudice within the GVN 
against religion in general.  Some GVN officials still think 
religion is not good for the country.  Progress on religious freedom 
to date has been due mainly to outside pressure on Hanoi, such as 
that brought by the USG.  It is important to note, however, that 
President Nguyen Minh Triet and Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dzung are 
both open-minded about religion, Kiet added.  For example, during 
Triet's first meeting as President with the Catholic Church's 
Episcopal Council of Bishops in September 2006, he "listened 
attentively" to the problems of the Church and expressed surprise 
and concern about conditions for Catholics in the remote border 
provinces of Son La and Lai Chau (Ref D). 
 
¶6. (SBU) The Ambassador noted that President Triet's upcoming visit 
to the United States later this year provides a good opportunity to 
further engage the GVN on religious freedom.  Kiet agreed to 
coordinate with us after the mid-February Tet holidays on 
 
HANOI 00000209  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
identifying specific problems facing the Church that could be 
addressed in this context.  During the September 2006 meeting 
mentioned above, Triet acknowledged Catholics' problems, but made no 
concrete promises to assist the Church, he added.  For their part, 
the Catholics had pressed mainly for permission to develop medical 
and other charitable services (see below). 
 
...but Training Enough Priests 
------------------------------ 
 
¶7. (SBU) In response to the Ambassador's question about whether the 
Church is still suffering from a lack of trained priests, Kiet said 
that the past lack of adequate numbers of priests and nuns is not 
really a problem any more, although there is still a need for more 
priests in the north.  The GVN permission to hold annual seminary 
classes and its decision to allow the Church to build a new southern 
seminary (in Son Loc) and a new northern seminary (TBD) will solve 
the staffing problems that remain.  Also, the GVN has permitted the 
Church to convene special classes for "unrecognized priests" in Nam 
Dinh and Nha Trang provinces as a compromise to allow priests who 
had been secretly ordained by the Church in the past to be 
officially recognized as priests.  For example, a Nam Dinh priest 
who was "secretly ordained" in Boston some time ago will be 
officially ordained after completing the one-year course. 
 
Kiet Contemplating a Hanoi HIV/AIDS Center 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶8. (SBU) Turning to Catholic charitable work, Kiet stated that the 
Hanoi Archdiocese is exploring the establishment of an HIV/AIDS 
center in one of the parishes in or near Hanoi.  This center would 
focus first on providing training to nurses and other medical 
professionals who treat people living with HIV/AIDS.  The eventual 
goal is for the center to provide direct clinical care to HIV/AIDS 
patients, although it is not envisioned that the center would become 
a hospital.  The Archdiocese has already discussed its preliminary 
idea with the Vietnam Fatherland Front (the Party's umbrella 
organization for various groups in society), but has still not 
broached the subject with the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs 
(MOLISA), which must also give permission for such an endeavor. 
 
¶9. (SBU) The Ambassador offered to share the experience of the 
Embassy's PEPFAR team to assist the Archdiocese in setting up the 
center.  At a later date, Embassy staff could also provide guidance 
on putting together a project proposal to tap into USG funding. 
Kiet replied that his staff has already discussed the project with 
the international NGO (and long-time USAID partner) Catholic Relief 
Services (CRS).  He promised to sit down with Embassy and CRS staff 
to work out a suitable program after the Archdiocese meets with 
MOLISA. 
 
Relations with Catholics in Other Countries Deepening 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
¶10. (SBU) The Ambassador asked if Vietnam's Catholics have been able 
to interact freely with Catholics in other countries.  Kiet stated 
that the Vietnam Church has burgeoning relationships with Catholics 
in Europe and the United States.  The French Church's Episcopal 
Council has sent two delegations to Vietnam in recent years, one 
just before Christmas 2006.  In addition, the U.S. Church's 
Episcopal Council is planning to send a delegation to Hanoi in late 
February.  To date, interactions with the European and American 
congregations has been limited to discussing "issues of common 
concern," Kiet added. 
 
Relations with Protestants improving 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶11. (SBU) Turning to relations with Vietnam's Protestant community, 
Kiet noted that since President Bush's participation in Vietnam's 
first-ever ecumenical prayer service on November 19, 2006 (organized 
by the Archdiocese and by the Evangelical Church of Vietnam North), 
relations between the two groups have continued to improve.  The 
Archbishop hopes to establish more opportunities for ecumenical 
events like the prayer service and will also work to expand 
interfaith dialogue in general. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶12. (SBU) The Archbishop's comments track closely with what we have 
been hearing from Catholics across Vietnam.  In spite of some 
continuing problems, 2006 was a good year for Vietnamese Catholics, 
and it would appear that the GVN made a high-level decision to 
improve conditions for Catholics as part of its larger efforts to 
improve religious freedom for its citizens.  We will continue to 
engage the GVN to keep moving forward in this area.  The run-up to 
 
HANOI 00000209  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
President Triet's visit to the United States later this year will 
provide a good opportunity for raising the bar on Catholic issues. 
Septel will provide comment on the local reaction to Prime Minister 
Dzung's recent meeting with the Pope.  End Comment. 
 
MARINE