US embassy cable - 04HANOI90

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 000090 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, ECON, VM, DPOL 
SUBJECT:  9TH PARTY PLENUM ENDS WITHOUT A BANG 
 
REF:  A. 03 Hanoi 3156   B. 03 Hanoi 2175 
-     C. 03 HANOI 1805   D. 03 Hanoi 0175 
 
1.  (SBU)  Summary.  With no real surprises, the 9th CPV 
plenum concluded with predictable calls for faster economic 
growth and integration as well as tougher campaigns against 
corruption.  No major personnel shifts were announced (or 
apparently made), but four Central Committee members were 
censured, including one involved in the 2001 Gia Lai 
demonstrations.  The CPV continues to highlight the 
importance of stability for its economic and social well- 
being, which may account for the decision not to undertake - 
- or at least articulate -- any bolder steps at this 
session.  End summary. 
 
2.  (U)  The Central Committee of the 9th Congress of the 
Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), elected in spring 2001, 
met in Hanoi January 5-12 for its 9th plenum, publicly 
touted as a review of CPV policies and implementation mid- 
way through the Party Congress.  Apart from a final 
communique as well as opening and closing remarks by CPV 
General Secretary Nong Duc Manh, no other documents are yet 
available from the plenum, which apparently did pass a 
"resolution on a number of major policies and solutions." 
The resolution will likely be released later. 
 
3.  (SBU)  Contrary to heated rumors in recent days and 
months that the plenum would make some top-level personnel 
shifts -- one version had Prime Minister Phan Van Khai 
stepping down from his Politburo seat in advance of his 
replacement as PM by a subsequent meeting of the National 
Assembly; another version would have dropped from the 
Politburo former Minister of Public Security Lt. General Le 
Minh Huong and CPV Economic Commission director Truong Tan 
Sang (already reprimanded formally for the Nam Cam mafia 
case), with new members allegedly to have included Deputy 
Prime Ministers Vu Khoan and Pham Gia Khiem and perhaps the 
head of PAVN's General Political Department -- no changes 
were announced or apparently even made.  GS Manh's closing 
remarks highlighted the necessity of "stability" in the 
interests of development, and this overriding objective may 
have been a factor in deciding against rocking the 
leadership boat just yet. 
 
4.  (SBU)  The Plenum patted itself on the back for making 
"important achievements" on 9th Party Congress goals, but 
urged even faster economic growth (i.e. over 8 pct in 2004 
and 2005), doing more toward building "market-oriented 
economic institutions along the socialist lines," and 
"settling the most urgent social issues such as hunger 
eradication and poverty reduction."   The Plenum also called 
for more international economic integration and early 
accession to WTO. 
 
5.  (U)  Manh's closing remarks cited repeatedly the dangers 
of corruption, waste, and overly bureaucratic behavior by 
Party and State cadres and their families, and called for 
renewed attention to Ho Chi Minh Thought and "acting 
according to the model of Uncle Ho."  He also urged closer 
supervision of officials by the Party, the Vietnam 
Fatherland Front, and mass organizations.  He denounced 
"opportunism" and "individualism."  The communique 
reiterated a call to "renew the Party leadership method," 
without explaining what this would entail. 
 
6.  (U)  Unusually, the Plenum publicly reprimanded several 
officials, most notably Central Committee member and Ethnic 
Minorities Commission Chairman Ksor Phuoc, explicitly for 
failing to prevent the February 2001 demonstrations in Gia 
Lai province (where he was then Party Secretary) and for 
"losing security order."  Central Committee member and 
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Huy Ngo was 
also reprimanded for responsibility over a corruption case 
involving a MARD-related company (ref a), and the Plenum 
called upon the GVN to consider administrative punishment. 
Central Committee member and Ba Ria Vung Tau Provincial 
Chairman and Deputy Party Secretary Nguyen Tuan Minh was 
similarly reprimanded and recommended for State 
administrative punishment over a auto smuggling case, while 
Central Committee member and Quang Tri Party secretary Vu 
Trong Kim was reprimanded for having "lost internal 
leadership solidarity" in the province (possibly linked to 
the punishment and early retirement of the provincial 
chairman in August/September 2003 -- ref b).  These 
scoldings were broadly reported in the Vietnamese media. 
 
7.  (SBU)  Comment:  Compared to expectations of a more 
dramatic turn of events at this mid-term plenum, and even 
compared to the 7th and 8th plenums with their major 
resolutions on ethnic minorities, religion, land, and 
national defense strategy (refs c and d), the 9th plenum was 
a bit of a sleeper.  More news may emerge over the weeks to 
come -- at least, after the Tet holidays -- but the CPV 
again appears to be committed to staying the course and 
avoiding any detours from its announced path of economic 
growth, integration into the international community, and 
renewed Party building and supervision. 
BURGHARDT