US embassy cable - 04HANOI2692

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 002692 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, VM, APEC, HUMANR, RELFREE 
SUBJECT: VIETNAM: AMBASSADOR PRESENTS HIS CREDENTIALS TO 
PRESIDENT LUONG 
 
1. SUMMARY:  The Ambassador presented his credentials to 
Vietnamese President Tran Duc Luong on September 27.  Both 
agreed that there had been much progress in the nine years 
since relations had been reestablished, but there was a need 
to continue to broaden and deepen the relationship. 
President Luong cited trade and economics, accounting for 
Missing in Action and counterterrorism as areas where the 
two nations could further develop their relationship and 
said that he would like to meet with President Bush in Chile 
at the APEC meeting this fall.  He asked the Ambassador to 
convey this message to President Bush.  Noting that 
Vietnam's reaction to designation as a Country of Particular 
Concern (CPC) had not been positive, President Luong said 
that he would have preferred to have a constructive dialogue 
to seek better mutual understanding.  He and the Ambassador 
pledged to seek to discuss differences such as this one in 
an atmosphere of mutual respect.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  The Ambassador accompanied by DCM, ECON/C, DATT and PA/C 
presented his credentials to President Tran Duc Luong at the 
Presidential Palace in Hanoi on September 27.  Vice Foreign 
Minister Le Van Bang was the senior Foreign Ministry 
representative along with officials from the President's 
Office and the Office of Protocol. 
 
3.  Following the presentation of credentials, the 
Ambassador and his party had a twenty-minute audience with 
the President.  The Ambassador noted that he was pleased to 
have the opportunity to serve in Vietnam where the bilateral 
relationship was in good shape following significant 
progress since normalization.  He expressed hope that the 
relationship would continue to broaden and deepen.  Noting 
that next year would be significant since it was the tenth 
anniversary of the establishment of relations, the 
Ambassador expressed the hope that PM Phan Van Khai would be 
able to visit the United States.  The Ambassador remarked on 
the progress since normalization in trade and investment, 
education and culture, counterterrorism and the full 
accounting of the Missing in Action.  He commented that 
there had been many positive transformations since he was 
first in Vietnam in the late 1980's.  He observed that both 
President Bush and Secretary of State Powell had made clear 
that they view this relationship to be important and they 
hope that ties would continue to strengthen further.  The 
Ambassador expressed his commitment to work toward this goal 
throughout his term. 
 
4.  The President responded by thanking the Ambassador for 
his words on the bilateral relationship and the future of 
relations as well as his commitment to work to better the 
relationship.  Vietnam attaches great importance to its 
relations with the United States both because of the U.S. 
role in the world and the shared past on which both sides 
need to continue to work, the President said.  He went on to 
agree that since the reestablishment of relations the 
bilateral relationship had moved in a positive direction. 
Noting that he was glad to see what had happened since the 
reestablishment of relations, President Luong enumerated 
several examples such as the signing and implementation of 
the Bilateral Trade Agreement, the opening of embassies in 
Washington and Hanoi, and the arrival of the third United 
States Ambassador in Hanoi. Although the time had not been 
long, important steps had been made, the President said. 
 
5.  The relationship could be called normal, but not quite 
yet comprehensive, the President continued.  In many fields 
there is more to do.  He listed trade and economics, 
accounting for the Missing in Action and counterterrorism 
cooperation.  He also stressed that there was a need to work 
for better mutual understanding.  To build a long-term 
relationship it is important for the government and peoples 
of one country to understand the history and culture of the 
other.  This is especially true for sensitive issues like 
ethnic minorities and human rights, the President said.  The 
two countries need dialogue and exchange of views to avoid 
problems. 
 
6.  The President noted that the Department of State had 
recently designated Vietnam as a Country of Particular 
Concern regarding religious freedom.  The reaction in 
Vietnam had not been positive, he added.  It would be better 
to have constructive dialogue for better mutual 
understanding.  A comprehensive relationship would benefit 
the people of both countries. 
 
7.  The President noted that he shared the Ambassador's view 
that there had been many positive developments so far and 
there was much to do in the future.  He added that he hoped 
the Ambassadors in Hanoi and Washington and their staffs 
would have many initiatives to mark the tenth anniversary. 
 
8. The Ambassador responded that the United States would do 
its part to seek to arrange the visit of the Prime Minister 
in 2005.  He also said that prospects were good that the 
President of the United States would come to Vietnam for the 
2006 APEC Summit. 
 
9. In response, President Luong noted that he would be going 
to Chile for APEC this fall and hoped for a short meeting 
with President Bush.  He asked that the Ambassador convey 
his message to President Bush. 
 
10. Noting that the Ambassador was a career diplomat with 
much experience in Asia including in Vietnam in the late 
1980's, the President said he was pleased that the 
Ambassador had been struck by the many changes since those 
days.  Vietnam, he said, was also pleased with those 
transformations since they are the manifestation of the 
right path that Vietnam has chosen.  He said he hoped that 
the Ambassador would do his part to continue developing 
United States-Vietnam relations in order to help Vietnam 
develop so that it could give its people a better life. 
 
11. The Ambassador replied that he was encouraged by the 
President's accurate description of the work ahead.  He 
acknowledged that the two countries did have a "history," 
but emphasized that this shared history provides an 
opportunity.  While no one can change history, our two 
peoples can seek to understand history and to build on it. 
Because of that history the two countries have and will have 
closer relations than if they had not had that history. 
Several million Americans have had experience with Vietnam 
and over one million others were born in Vietnam but live 
now in the United States.  These people have a close 
connection with Vietnam and can be a force for making the 
relationship stronger. 
 
12. The Ambassador went on to note that CPC was a decision 
that the Government of Vietnam did not welcome or accept, 
but that he was encouraged that officials of the two nations 
could discuss the issue and work on it in a positive way. 
Religious freedom is a core issue for the American people, 
he stressed.  The CPC decision flows from the belief in the 
United States that international norms of religious freedom 
should be observed everywhere.  Clearly the majority in 
Vietnam can practice their religious beliefs, but in some 
areas of Vietnam there are limits on people's ability to do 
so and this is what the United States would like to discuss. 
The United States and other countries as well as NGOs want 
to work to improve economic and social conditions in places 
like the Central Highlands in order to reduce tension over 
religion.  The Ambassador pledged to do all he could to 
ensure that any discussion of religion took place in a 
manner of mutual respect.  "We should," he said, "be like 
brothers who can speak frankly." 
 
13.  President Luong replied that he concurred with most of 
these views, but on religious freedom, he noted that a 
number of Vietnam's 80 million people could practice 
different religions.  He expressed hope that the Ambassador 
would look at the issue in a positive way and agreed with 
the idea of discussing in a manner of mutual respect.  This 
would be in the best interest for the long-term 
relationship, he said. 
 
14.  The President concluded the meeting by proposing a 
toast to good bilateral relations. 
MARINE