US embassy cable - 00HANOI2667

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THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE OF FREE TRADE AND FREE IDEAS REVERBERATES AFTER HIS VISIT TO VIETNAM

Identifier: 00HANOI2667
Wikileaks: View 00HANOI2667 at Wikileaks.org
Origin: Embassy Hanoi
Created: 2000-12-08 13:28:00
Classification: CONFIDENTIAL
Tags: PREL PGOV PHUM ECON PINR VM DPOL
Redacted: This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

190654Z Nov 00

2000HANOI02667 - CONFIDENTIAL
 
 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ4264

PAGE 01        HANOI  02667  01 OF 06  081334Z 
ACTION SS-00    

INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AGRE-00  AID-00   AMAD-00  ACQ-00   CIAE-00  
      CTME-00  SRPP-00  DS-00    EAP-00   EB-00    EUR-00   EXIM-01  
      E-00     FBIE-00  VC-00    FRB-00   H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00   
      ITC-01   VCE-00   AC-01    NSAE-00  OMB-01   OPIC-01  PM-00    
      ACE-00   P-00     SP-00    SSO-00   STR-00   USIE-00  PMB-00   
      DSCC-00  DRL-02   G-00     NFAT-00  SAS-00     /008W
                  ------------------A90F8F  081334Z /38    
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1471
INFO NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
DEPTTREAS WASHDC PRIORITY
USDOC WASHDC PRIORITY
SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY
APEC COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI//J5/FPA// PRIORITY
DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY LONDON 
AMEMBASSY TOKYO 
AMEMBASSY SEOUL 
AMEMBASSY PARIS 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 06 HANOI 002667 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR S/S, P, E, S/P, S/PICW 
STATE ALSO FOR EAP ROTH, EAP/BCLTV, DRL, EB, INR 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        HANOI  02667  01 OF 06  081334Z 
STATE PASS USTR BARSHEFSKY 
STATE PASS USAID FOR AA RANDOLPH 
WHITE HOUSE FOR BERGER, SPERLING AND PODESTA 
WHITE HOUSE FOR OFFICE OF THE FIRST LADY 
WHITE HOUSE FOR NSC PRITCHARD, NEC ROSEN 
NSC FOR LIEBERTHAL, CHRISTY AND SCHWARTZ 
USDOC FOR 4431/MAC/AP/OKSA/HPPHO 
TREASURY FOR OASIA 
SECDEF FOR ISA/EAP STERN 
USCINCPAC FOR TWINING 
USDA FOR FAA/AO/SHUETE 
PARIS FOR SUE BREMNER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/4/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PHUM, ECON, PINR, VM, DPOL 
SUBJECT:  THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE OF FREE TRADE AND FREE IDEAS REVERBERATES AFTER HIS VISIT TO VIETNAM 
 
REF: A) HO CHI MINH CITY 1766 
 
B) FBIS RESTON VA 190654Z NOV 00 
 
1. (U) CLASSIFIED BY POLCOUNS JAMES BRUNO; 
REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D). 
 
2. (C) SUMMARY: THE PRESIDENT'S TRIP TO VIETNAM ELECTRIFIED 
THE VIETNAMESE PUBLIC -- AND SURPRISED THE COMMUNIST PARTY 
LEADERSHIP.  ENTHUSIASTIC CROWDS OF SEVERAL HUNDRED 
THOUSAND LINED THE STREETS TO GREET THE PRESIDENT AND FIRST 
LADY ON THEIR HISTORIC VISIT TO HANOI AND HO CHI MINH CITY. 
THREE WEEKS AFTER THE VISIT, THE MESSAGE THE PRESIDENT 
DELIVERED IN HIS NATIONALLY TELEVISED ADDRESS AND IN BOTH 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        HANOI  02667  01 OF 06  081334Z 
PUBLIC AND PRIVATE EVENTS CONTINUES TO REVERBERATE IN 
VIETNAMESE COFFEE SHOPS, AS WELL AS IN THE BACKROOMS OF THE 
PARTY LEADERSHIP.  IN ONE DRAMATIC EXAMPLE IN A PROVINCIAL 
CAPITAL, A PRIEST CONVENED GROUPS OF SEVERAL HUNDRED 
PARISHIONERS TO DISCUSS THE IDEAS OF FREEDOM AND GLOBAL 
ENGAGEMENT CONTAINED IN THE PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS.  IN HANOI, 
THE POLITBURO REPORTEDLY WILL MEET DECEMBER 8 TO DISCUSS 
THE TRIP. 
 
3. (C) SUMMARY (CONT'D): FOR THE COMMUNIST PARTY (CPV) 
AUTHORITIES, THE EFFUSIVE POPULAR REACTION TO THE PRESIDENT 
UNDOUBTEDLY GIVES THEM PAUSE.  POST-WAR VIETNAM HAS SEEN 
NOTHING LIKE THE RECEPTION THE PRESIDENT RECEIVED, AND THIS 
IS A VIVID REMINDER THAT POPULAR FEELING FOR THE RULING 
AUTHORITIES IS, BY COMPARISON, LUKEWARM AT BEST.  WE 
BELIEVE THE PRESIDENT'S VISIT, HIS CALL FOR FREE TRADE AND 
FREE EXCHANGE OF IDEAS, AND THE OUTPOURING OF POPULAR 
SUPPORT FOR HIM WILL BE A KEY TOPIC OF DEBATE AS THE CPV 
LEADERSHIP MOVES INTO ITS PARTY CONGRESS IN MARCH.  THIS 
CUTS TWO WAYS IN THE ONGOING CPV DISCUSSIONS ABOUT 
GLOBALIZATION.  CAUTIOUS IDEOLOGUES SUCH AS GENERAL 
SECRETARY PHIEU EMPHASIZE THE NEED TO PROCEED CAREFULLY TO 
 
SIPDIS 
GUARD AGAINST WESTERN ATTEMPTS AT "PEACEFUL EVOLUTION," 
WHILE MORE REFORM-MINDED LEADERS MAY FEEL STRENGTHENED BY 
THE POPULAR SENTIMENT IN FAVOR OF GREATER ENGAGEMENT WITH 
THE U.S. AND THE REST OF THE WORLD.  END SUMMARY. 
 
WIDESPREAD POPULAR SUPPORT FOR THE PRESIDENT'S VISIT... 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
 
4. (C) IN THE THREE WEEKS SINCE THE PRESIDENT'S TRIP TO 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 04        HANOI  02667  01 OF 06  081334Z 
VIETNAM NOVEMBER 16-19, EMBASSY OFFICERS HAVE MET WITH 
DISPARATE GROUPS OF VIETNAMESE OFFICIALS AND PRIVATE 
CITIZENS IN PROVINCES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.  THE UNANIMOUS 
CONSENSUS IS THAT VIETNAM HAS NEVER SEEN A VISIT LIKE THIS 
ONE -- OR ONE THAT HAS HAD SUCH RIPPLING EFFECTS ON THE 
CITIZENRY.  FIRST AND MOST VISIBLY, WERE THE CROWDS.  IN 
HANOI, THE USUALLY RESTRAINED NORTHERNERS TURNED OUT IN 
UNPRECEDENTED NUMBERS ALONG THE PATH OF THE MOTORCADE 
COMING IN FROM THE AIRPORT, GATHERED OUTSIDE THE DAEWOO 
HOTEL WHERE THE PRESIDENT STAYED, AND CLUSTERED ON THE 
PERIMETER OF HIS EVENTS AROUND TOWN.  THE OFFICIAL MEDIA 
DID NOT PUBLICIZE THE PRESIDENT'S SCHEDULE, BUT PEOPLE 
FOUND OUT ANYWAY -- SOME TOLD US THEY LISTENED TO BBC, 
OTHERS LEARNED FROM VIETNAMESE OFFICIALS WHO PASSED THE 
WORD TO FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS.  ONE WESTERN BUSINESSMAN 
SAID HE WAS SURPRISED TO SEE HIS WHOLE STAFF CONVERGE ON 
HIS WINDOW OFFICE DURING THE WORK DAY ONLY FIVE MINUTES 
BEFORE THE 

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