VZCZCXRO3737
RR RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHHI #1101/01 1641003
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 131003Z JUN 07
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5635
INFO RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH 3236
RUEHZS/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 001101 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/MLS, G/TIP, AND PRM FOR SONIA DENTZEL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KCRM KWMN ELAB PHUM PREL PGOV SMIG KPAO VM
 
SUBJECT: 2007 TIP REPORT HANDED OVER 
 
REF: A) STATE 78371 
 B) HANOI 393 
 C) HANOI 394 
 D) HANOI 402 
 
HANOI 00001101  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: Poloff delivered the Vietnam TIP report country 
narrative and Ref A talking points to the MFA on June 13.  Our 
interlocutor was pleased that the USG acknowledged the GVN's 
progress on combating TIP during the reporting period, but 
disappointed that more details on the GVN's strong commitment in 
this area were not captured.  The MFA official cited GVN efforts and 
recently passed legislation in the labor trafficking arena, but 
acknowledged that this is a "growth area" with more room for 
progress and greater regulation.  Although there is a will to draft 
a new comprehensive law on anti-TIP, at this time there is not a 
way, as the GVN is heavily focused on numerous legislative and 
regulatory requirements with regard to WTO compliance, as well as 
overall economic development.  As a result, the National Assembly 
has shelved this for now.  The GVN is in negotiation with the Royal 
Thai Government on an important anti-TIP MOU, which they hope will 
be signed later this year.  Ratification of the Palermo Protocol is 
still in the cards.  End Summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Poloff delivered Ref A TIP Report Country Narrative for 
Vietnam and talking points to MFA Consular Department Deputy 
Director General Truong Xuan Thanh on June 13.  Thanh told Poloff 
that he and members of his staff had already read the Vietnam 
country narrative and compared it with last year's TIP report.  He 
thanked us for acknowledging Vietnam's progress on anti-trafficking 
in this year's report, but overall he felt that the USG did not 
"capture the GVN's total commitment" and all its diverse efforts to 
combat trafficking and meet the "USG standard."  The USG has a "very 
difficult" standard to meet for a "developing country" still 
focusing heavily on basic needs and economic development, Thanh 
averred. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Poloff explained the legislative background and requirement 
of the TIP report, and that not all of the GVN's efforts and 
legislation that we report back to Washington are necessarily 
captured in the abbreviated country narrative.  Rather, the country 
narrative highlights focus areas with the intention to engender 
progress and partnership.  Thanh noted that part of the reason for 
discrepancies could also be that the GVN does more to combat 
trafficking than it publicly acknowledges. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Thanh stressed, nevertheless, that the GVN is 
"highly-committed" to combating TIP, labor trafficking and sex 
tourism, and his office spends a great deal of time solely on these 
issues.  Thanh cited: the GVN's recent "Decision No. 17" on boosting 
TIP victim assistance; "Decision No. 05/2007" on labor export 
brokerage fee ceiling rates; the new Export Labor Law; recent steps 
to strengthen Vietnam's compliance with the "Optional Protocol on 
the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography 
(OPSC);" development of a sex-tourism unit within the Ministry of 
Public Security; and a pending anti-TIP MOU with the Royal Thai 
Government (RTG) (Note:  Thanh thought this MOU, currently under 
negotiation, could be signed with the RTG by the "end of the 
summer."  End Note.) 
 
¶5. (SBU) In particular, the MFA is pushing for greater GVN 
inter-agency cooperation and coordination on combating TIP, and that 
victim assistance had been one "success area," Thanh continued. 
Compliance with international law is another focus area.  Passage of 
the new Export Labor Law was not enough, and Thanh admitted that the 
GVN would need to both strictly enforce the new law and make it even 
more comprehensive in the future. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Thanh explained that when Vietnam opened the door to global 
economic integration and a market economy, labor exploitation was 
one of the results.  Although South Korea, Japan, the Middle East 
and Malaysia have a "great demand" for foreign workers, Vietnamese 
labor exports are still relatively small and do not attract enough 
government attention.  Furthermore, Vietnamese workers still "lack 
many of the skills" for the often high-tech requirements in these 
labor markets.  Nonetheless, this is a growing issue, and Thanh 
noted recent demand for foreign workers in Africa's agriculture 
sector.  The GVN's methodology in the labor export arena should be 
to:  establish a detailed labor export regulatory system; sign 
bilateral labor agreements with destination countries; and, focus on 
training in skill gaps, capacity and required foreign languages, 
especially English, Thanh explained. 
 
¶7. (SBU) On the subject of international marriage brokering, the GVN 
acknowledges that this is a dilemma due to the economic 
circumstances of many young Vietnamese women in rural areas and the 
family pressure to "marry a foreigner to be able to send money 
home."  Many young women, in rural Vietnam especially, "dream" of 
being able to help their families in this way.  Some of the problems 
 
HANOI 00001101  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
with regard to marriage deception and entrapment also relate to a 
loose regulation of the brokering industry and the fact that 
Vietnamese women only have to get permission from local authorities 
to marry abroad and get a marriage certificate.  There is "no 
national component."  The GVN could better address this area by 
focusing, once again, on establishing policies and procedures in 
close cooperation with destination countries, such as Taiwan and 
South Korea, Thanh said. 
 
¶8. (SBU) In response to PolOff's question, Thanh said that there are 
GVN immigration regulations and policy procedures in place to avoid 
situations of "statelessness" for those Vietnamese women and their 
children who return home after a failed marriage or widowhood (but 
before they were able to acquire their husband's citizenship).  They 
can regain their Vietnamese citizenship and legal rights, Thanh 
stated.  (Note:  Contrary to Thanh's assertion, there are in fact 
many women and children who face this very situation.  End Note.) 
 
¶9. (SBU) Poloff asked about the current debate within the GVN on 
drafting a new comprehensive anti-trafficking law for Vietnam and 
GVN ratification of the UNTOC and its Anti-TIP Supplemental 
Protocol.  Thanh said that there is a will to pass a comprehensive 
anti-TIP law, but that the GVN is currently overwhelmed with more 
pressing priorities, especially development of a regulatory 
environment to comply with its new membership in the WTO.  So this 
has been "shelved by the National Assembly" for now.  With regard to 
ratification of the UNTOC and Palermo Protocol, Thanh sees this 
happening within the next year. 
 
¶10. (SBU) In conclusion, Thanh stated that the MFA believes the 
State Department's annual TIP report is "very useful."  He would 
like to expand the flow of "accurate and updated" information 
between Embassy Hanoi and the MFA on TIP and would welcome further 
information on USG strategies for combating labor trafficking and 
regulating labor exports. 
 
MARINE