VZCZCXRO5879
RR RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHFK RUEHHM RUEHKSO RUEHNAG RUEHNH RUEHPB
DE RUEHHI #0023/01 0070855
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 070855Z JAN 08
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6967
INFO RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH 4125
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON 0278
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 2329
RUEHDN/AMCONSUL SYDNEY 0065
RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE
RUEHZU/ASIAN PACIFIC ECONOMIC COOPERATION

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 HANOI 000023 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR H - JREDDY AND CAUSTIN AND EAP/MLS 
STATE PASS TO USTR BISBEE AND BAE 
 
E.O. 12985:  N/A 
TAGS: PREL ENRG KIPR OTRA OVIP UNSC ECON ENRG VM
 
SUBJECT:  CODEL HOYER'S MEETINGS WITH GVN LEADERSHIP 
 
 
HANOI 00000023  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary.  On January 3, a thirteen-member Congressional 
delegation, led by Majority Leader Representative Steny Hoyer and 
Minority Whip Representative Roy Blunt, discussed bilateral 
priorities during meetings with President Nguyen Minh Triet, the 
Chairman of the National Assembly Nguyen Phu Trong and Deputy Prime 
Minister Hoang Trung Hai.  During their meetings, members of the 
delegation discussed legal, political and economic reform in 
Vietnam, UN issues, respect for human rights and key commercial 
concerns.  The delegation also exchanged views on trade and 
commercial issues with AMCHAM Hanoi.  End Summary. 
 
Meeting with President Triet 
---------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) As part of its visit to Guam, Vietnam, Australia and New 
Zealand, the congressional delegation led by Majority Leader 
Representative Steny Hoyer and Minority Whip Representative Roy 
Blunt engaged in substantive exchanges with Vietnamese leaders 
during its one-day stay in Hanoi on January 3.  President Nguyen 
Minh Triet opened his meeting with the CODEL by noting that the 
delegation's visit was both a good opportunity to discuss issues of 
mutual interest and a chance for the delegation to witness the 
changes occurring in Vietnam.  He continued by highlighting 
developments in U.S.-Vietnam bilateral relations, including 
President Bush's November 2006 visit to Hanoi; his own meetings in 
Washington during his June 2007 trip to the United States; and other 
high-level USG visitors to Hanoi such as Secretary of Commerce 
Carlos Gutierrez in December 2007.  President Triet noted that 
differences remain, largely due to the different economic and 
political conditions in the two countries, but suggested that any 
problems can be discussed and solutions identified. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Congressman Hoyer mentioned Vietnam's new role as a member 
of the UN Security Council and asked for President Triet's views on 
key issues such as the Iranian and North Korean proliferation 
threats, the political repression in Burma and the status of Israel. 
 President Triet replied that the GVN is aware of the role and 
responsibilities of a UNSC member and stated that Vietnam will have 
clear positions on such issues when it is asked for its views. 
Concerning a question from Congressman Hoyer about Vietnam-China 
relations and the GVN view of China's future role in the world and 
the region, President Triet explained that as China's neighbor with 
a longstanding relationship, Vietnam "congratulates China on its 
success."  Vietnam's relations with China will not affect its 
relationship with any third country.  To the extent Vietnam and 
China have differences, the two countries have agreed to discuss 
them in order to reach a solution. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Congressman Blunt reiterated the view that Vietnam's UN 
Security Council role will mandate a new level of responsibility and 
mentioned that he looks forward to opportunities when Vietnam's 
views on issues before the Security Council will allow our countries 
to "be on the same side."  He also expressed appreciation for GVN 
cooperation in the recovery of the remains of U.S. personnel missing 
in action from the Vietnam War, noting that those efforts opened the 
door to subsequent bilateral cooperation in other areas. 
Congressman Blunt inquired whether Vietnam can maintain its 
"amazing" economic growth and about the future of GVN state-owned 
enterprises.  President Triet said that Vietnam is trying to fulfill 
its WTO commitments.  In areas such as legal reform and human 
resource development, Vietnam must improve.  Past reform efforts 
have transformed the Vietnamese economy to become more flexible and 
market-based, and equity markets are being developed in order to 
facilitate the "equitization" (partial privatization) of state-owned 
enterprises.  The President noted that Vietnam is in a transitional 
period, but affirmed that the direction of future development is 
clear and that the GVN has built confidence in the minds of foreign 
investors.  He concluded that "Vietnam is on the right track." 
 
¶5. (SBU) Noting the impressive results of GVN economic reforms, 
Congressman Hoyer asked whether the GVN had moved to enact political 
reforms to allow freedom of speech, freedom of assembly and freedom 
to criticize the government.  With the growth of participatory 
democracy around the world, Congressman Hoyer inquired where the GVN 
stands on these issues.  President Triet affirmed that the "voice" 
of the Vietnamese people has been growing for many years. 
Authorities at local and central levels typically poll public 
opinion about important issues and use contradictory views to reach 
better decisions.  The Communist Party of Vietnam also provides a 
mechanism for annual grassroots level criticism of GVN officials. 
He said that sessions of the National Assembly include diverse, 
frank opinions about the performance of the GVN and the cabinet 
 
HANOI 00000023  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
ministers are more often criticized than praised when they attend. 
President Triet closed by arguing that, although the United States 
and Vietnam have different economic and political conditions, he 
hoped that they can cooperate in order to understand each other 
better, and that he looked forward to other such exchanges in the 
future. 
 
Discussions with National Assembly Leadership 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) Earlier on January 3, the delegation met with Vietnam 
National Assembly (NA) leaders, including NA Chairman Nguyen Phu 
Trong, to discuss the two legislative branches' roles in 
strengthening the bilateral relationship.  The legislators focused 
on trade, environmental, and security concerns.  Both sides 
expressed their satisfaction with the increased "productivity" of 
the U.S.-Vietnam bilateral relationship, citing, in particular, the 
two countries' growing trade and economic ties. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Congressman Blunt asked the NA members present to update 
the U.S. delegation on changes to the civil and criminal codes that 
might affect the protection of intellectual property rights, 
copyrights, and patents in Vietnam.  Chairman of the Legal Affairs 
Committee Nguyen Van Thuan replied that, while such changes are 
underway as part of a comprehensive legal and judicial reform 
program aimed at realizing Vietnam's commitments as a WTO member, 
the real problem in Vietnam is enforcement.  Nonetheless, Thuan 
promised that he would continue to inform Ambassador Michalak of 
progress in implementing these legislative reforms.  Thuan further 
stressed that Vietnam considers intellectual property rights a 
"civic right" and welcomed U.S. advice on how to improve existing 
laws to ensure better implementation. 
 
¶8. (SBU) Congresswoman Wasserman-Schultz raised her concern that at 
the United Nations, Vietnam has a record of not voting with the 
United States on matters pertaining to Israel.  Noticeably 
surprised, Chairman Trong responded by stressing Vietnam's active 
and growing involvement in numerous international organizations, but 
conceded that Vietnam should pay more attention to issues related to 
Israel.  Other NA members emphasized Vietnam's good relationship 
with both Israel and Palestine.  In response to Congressman Hoyer's 
question regarding Vietnam's future role in peace-keeping and 
humanitarian efforts, Chairman Trong pledged strong support for such 
efforts as long as they were legal under Vietnamese law and within 
the country's capacity.  Congressman Hoyer concluded the meeting by 
highlighting each citizen's right to choose his/her government and 
every government's responsibility to protect basic human rights. 
 
Economic Issues Discussed with DPM Hai 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶9. (SBU) In the afternoon, Codel Hoyer met with Deputy Prime 
Minister for Economic Affairs Hoang Trung Hai.  In response to a 
comment by Congressman Blunt, the DPM noted that Vietnam is 
continuing to pursue broad administrative reforms, including 
simplification of the licensing process.  He also stated that 
Vietnam realizes that enforcement of its IPR laws is necessary to 
encourage the development of science and technology, and that the 
GVN has much work to do in this regard.  DPM Hai showed a broad base 
of knowledge about U.S. foreign direct investment, commenting 
extensively on proposed projects by Gannon, Alcoa and others.  With 
regards to the proposed Gannon project, he explained that the GVN 
did not want to move forward until it could resolve the issue of 
pricing kilowatts at a level that would both compensate producers 
and be affordable to the public.  He added that the GVN hopes the 
ConocoPhillips gas project in the South China Sea, currently stalled 
due to objection by China, will move forward very quickly because 
Vietnam needs additional gas supplies. 
 
¶10. (SBU) In response to a question by Congresswoman Emerson, DPM 
Hai said that the GVN plans to increase its renewable energy supply 
by at least 5% by 2010 and 8% by 2020.  He explained that the GVN 
has effectively communicated to the public that the price of energy 
will be increased to market rates, and that a law regarding 
effective energy use was being drafted.  Finally, he noted that 
Vietnam is in the process of overhauling its education system and is 
ready for additional cooperation on education and training. 
 
American Chamber of Commerce Luncheon 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶11. (SBU) Congressmen Hoyer and Blunt shared their views of the 
 
HANOI 00000023  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
growing relationship between the United States and Vietnam, 
including the impressive expansion of bilateral trade and concerns 
such as human rights, environmental protection, intellectual 
property rights and product safety, with a crowd of more than 100 
U.S. business community members at an American Chamber of Commerce 
luncheon.  The large turnout, despite the holiday season, 
demonstrated the business representatives' interest in exchanging 
views with the legislators and gaining a better perspective of how 
the U.S. relationship with Vietnam is viewed on Capitol Hill. 
 
¶12. (SBU) In his remarks, Congressman Hoyer encouraged U.S. firms to 
serve as a model of the benefits of open market principles for their 
Vietnamese business partners and government interlocutors.  He 
continued by imploring that U.S. firms "not only can, but ought to" 
spread the ideals of individual freedom and basic human rights in 
Vietnam.  Congressman Blunt then shared his positive impressions of 
Vietnam's competitive commercial atmosphere, but noted that more 
must be done to strengthen the tenets of rule of law, competition 
and a fair judicial system.  For example, he cited the incongruence 
of Vietnam's requirement for an economic needs test for foreign 
retailers to establish multiple outlets with the principles of an 
open, competitive market.  Amidst questions on domestic U.S. 
politics, and the level of partisanship in Congress, one audience 
member sought the delegation's views on how to balance economic 
reform with political reform here.  Congressman Hoyer responded that 
he views individual liberties as not only a political issue, but 
also as a means to boost the country's economic development - a 
sentiment he shared earlier in the day with President Triet and NA 
Chairman Trong.  He also opined that Vietnam is following the "China 
model" of economic liberalization coupled with continued tight 
political control, and expressed his hope that both countries will 
more positively pursue the issue of human rights in the future. 
 
Comment: Off to Ho Chi Minh City 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶13. (SBU) The CODEL departed Hanoi on the evening of Jan 3 en route 
to Ho Chi Minh City.  Overall, the delegation expressed its 
satisfaction with the substance of the meetings and noted the high 
level of engagement and responsiveness of the GVN officials.  Based 
on the level of the delegation's meetings, the GVN clearly assigned 
significant importance to the delegation's visit and appeared 
pleased with the attention paid by the ranking members of Congress. 
Mission Vietnam looks forward to welcoming future visits by members 
of Congress. 
 
¶14. (U) This cable was cleared by the delegation. 
 
MICHALAK