VZCZCXRO9479
RR RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHHI #0448/01 1090407
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 180407Z APR 08 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7644
INFO RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH 4605
RUEHROV/AMEMBASSY VATICAN 0049
RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 000448 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/MLS AND DRL/IRF 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KIRF PHUM PGOV PREL VM
SUBJECT:  Unexpected Progress on Catholic Church Land Issues 
 
REFS: A. HANOI 0278; B. HANOI 0442 
 
HANOI 00000448  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary:  In an unexpected move, central Quang Tri 
Provincial authorities announced a Government of Vietnam (GVN) 
decision to return the La Vang property to the Catholic Church 
following meetings in late March and early April between GVN 
authorities and the Catholic Episcopal Council of Vietnam.  The La 
Vang church and pilgrimage center is one of three "priority 
properties" the Catholic Church has formally requested the GVN 
return and a significant Catholic pilgrimage site in Vietnam.  The 
two sides also discussed a resolution to the ongoing property 
dispute over the former Vatican residence in Hanoi (Ref. A).  With 
the return of the La Vang property and an ongoing dialogue with the 
GVN on the former Vatican residence, the Catholic Church continues 
to inch closer to solving its major property disputes with the GVN. 
Nevertheless, other Catholic property disputes, including an ongoing 
demonstration at Thai Ha parish in Hanoi (Ref. B), remain 
unresolved.  End summary. 
 
La Vang Church, Quang Tri Province 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) According to Father Thomas Thuy, an administrator in  the 
Hanoi Archbishop's Office, the GVN made the decision to return the 
long-disputed land in central Quang Tri province following a meeting 
on March 20, between Vice Minister of Public Security Nguyen Van 
Huong and the President of the Episcopal Council of Vietnam, Dalat 
Bishop Nguyen Van Nhon, at which they reportedly discussed the 
return of the land in Quang Tri, as well as developments regarding 
the Papal nuncio land issue in Hanoi. (Note. The La Vang property is 
one of three "priority properties" the Catholic Church has formally 
requested the GVN return to the Episcopal Council; the other two are 
the former Papal Nuncio in Hanoi and the Pius X Pontifical Institute 
in Dalat. End Note.) 
 
¶3. (SBU) On April 10, provincial authorities met with leaders of the 
Hue Archdiocese (which covers Quang Tri) and announced that they 
would return 20 hectares of land (out of a total of approximately 23 
hectares) to the Archdiocese.  Previously belonging to a parish 
church dedicated to "Our Mary of La Vang" before 1975, the land was 
confiscated by the GVN after 1975.  While a church was built to 
replace the one destroyed during the war and several private 
residences have been built on the site, most of the property has 
remained largely unused ever since.  At a March 20 meeting, Bishop 
Nhon told MPS Vice Minister Huong that the Church would be willing 
to help with compensation for households on the 20 hectares that 
would need to be resettled as part of the handover.  Catholic 
sources confirm that the GVN and the Catholic Church also agreed 
that the remaining 2-3 hectares, now housing several local 
Government buildings, would eventually be returned to the Catholic 
Church at a later date. 
 
¶4. (SBU) The process of actually handing over the land is still 
subject to detailed discussions between the Catholic Church and the 
Quang Tri provincial authorities.  Bishop Nhon reported that the 
Church plans to upgrade the site and build additional facilities, 
turning the current "Our Mary of La Vang" Pilgrimage Center into a 
national Catholic pilgrimage complex.  Separately, Church officials 
expressed some concern to POL staff that discussions with provincial 
authorities on compensation rates and other technical aspects may be 
lengthy and complicated, delaying the date of an actual turnover. 
 
Former Vatican Residence, Hanoi 
------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) The ongoing issue of the former Vatican residence was also 
discussed during the March 20 meeting (Ref A.).  Bishop Nhon 
reportedly refused Vice Minister Huong's proposal that the GVN 
provide the Church with a new plot of land in exchange for the land 
currently occupied by the former Vatican residence.  "Vietnamese 
bishops will not compromise when it comes to the Papal Nuncio issue. 
 They are willing to compensate for the construction that has been 
built on the site through the years, and that's about it," Father 
Thuy of the Hanoi Archbishop's office asserted. (Note: There are 
several buildings on the site, including a restaurant, now closed, 
and a community center with a swimming pool and dance hall. End 
note.) 
 
¶6. (SBU) Father Thuy went on to say that the Church leadership 
believes that the GVN decision to return the land in Quang Tri was 
designed to ease the flow of numerous formal requests to reclaim 
Catholic properties in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and elsewhere.  The 
GVN decision would also send a message to the Holy See about the 
GVN's willingness to address pending issues of interest to the 
Catholic Church in Vietnam, in advance of a Vatican delegation that 
is expected to visit Vietnam in June 2008 to conduct regular 
bilateral meetings with the GVN.  However, Father Thuy acknowledged 
that the Vatican delegation would likely not formally raise the 
 
HANOI 00000448  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
Vietnamese Catholic Church's request to claim back its major 
properties with the GVN during the talks. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Father Thuy went on to note that in recent years the 
Catholic Church has not made its disagreements with the GVN public, 
understanding that the GVN prefers to keep these issues out of the 
spotlight.  However, it appears that the Church's patience with the 
GVN's lack of responsiveness has begun to run out.  Father Thuy 
asserted that by making the pending requests publicly known, the 
Catholic hierarchy believes it is now putting justified pressure on 
the GVN to take action on claims, instead of just ignoring them. 
 
Comment: Progress on Property Issue, More to Come 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶8. (SBU) With the pending return of the La Vang property and an 
ongoing dialogue with the GVN on the former Vatican residence, the 
Catholic Church continues to inch closer to solving its major 
property disputes with the GVN.  The GVN is likely betting that 
approval of the return of the La Vang property will stem the flow of 
Church property claim requests.  However, as the Church gains 
success in getting property returned, and brings more of its 
concerns into public, more parishes are now jumping on the bandwagon 
and pushing the GVN for the return of disputed property.  Whether 
the GVN could now backtrack remains to be seen.  The decision to 
return the La Vang property may buy the GVN some breathing room, but 
the issue of disputed Church property is now one that will not be 
ignored for long. 
 
MICHALAK