VZCZCXRO1707
RR RUEHDT RUEHPB
DE RUEHHM #0026 0081002
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 081002Z JAN 07
FM AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1960
INFO RUEHHI/AMEMBASSY HANOI 1431
RUCNARF/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0027
RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY 2122

UNCLAS HO CHI MINH CITY 000026 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM SOCI PREL PGOV KIRF PREF VM
SUBJECT: UBCV PATRIARCH "PREVENTED" FROM TRAVELING TO HCMC 
 
REF: 06 HCMC 1115 
 
¶1. (U) On January 4, the International Buddhist Information 
Bureau (IBIB), the Paris-based mouthpiece for the Unified 
Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV) announced that UBCV 
Patriarch Thich Huyen Quang was prevented from returning to 
HCMC for a medical check up.  Thich Huyen Quang returned to 
Binh Dinh province in Central Vietnam in mid-November from 
HCMC after spending over six weeks hospitalized for medical 
treatment (reftel).   A Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
spokesman denied the IBIB allegation. 
 
¶2. (SBU) On January 5, we spoke with UBCV contacts in HCMC 
and Binh Dinh province, who noted that GVN authorities did 
not specifically prohibit the Patriarch from traveling, but 
stated in several meetings with Thich Huyen Quang that he 
"should not" travel to HCMC.  The officials argued that his 
medical condition is stable and can be treated adequately 
locally.  The officials reportedly added that his travel 
would not be "convenient" for security reasons.  The UBCV 
confirmed that the Binh Dinh hospital has sent doctors to 
check up on the Patriarch "for time to time." 
 
¶3. (SBU) Based on this implicit warning that there could be 
a confrontation should he decide to travel, Thich Huyen 
Quang decided to forgo a return to HCMC for the present 
time.   That said, he plans to seek to travel to HCMC in 
late February after Tet (the Lunar New Year).  According to 
Thich Huyen Quang's assistant in Binh Dinh, the patriarch's 
health is stable and he continues to follow the treatment 
regimen prescribed by a private HCMC hospital. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Comment:  Quang and the UBCV used his six-week 
stay in HCMC in 2006 to test the limits of GVN control of 
the UBCV.  Quang held a series of bedside meetings, not 
just with UBCV General Secretary Thich Quang Do and other 
senior UBCV leaders, but also with prominent political 
dissidents such as Democratic Party of Vietnam Deputy 
General Secretary Tran Khue.  It is not surprising, 
therefore, that the GVN would seek to prevent the UBCV from 
"making routine" such visits.  However, were Quang's health 
to deteriorate again, the GVN almost certainly would 
facilitate the patriarch's travel to HCMC for treatment. 
End Comment. 
 
WINNICK