US embassy cable - 04HANOI2863

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 HANOI 002863 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR INL/AAE, EAP/BCLTV, EAP/RSP, DS/IP/EAP, CA, 
CA/OCS/ACS/EAP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, SNAR, KCRM, ASEC, CVIS, CASC, VM, HUMANR, ETMIN, CTERR 
SUBJECT:  VIETNAM SECURITY MINISTER PROMISES COORDINATION ON 
TERRORISM, MONTAGNARDS; SUGGESTS A NOTIFICATION WORKING 
GROUP 
 
1. (SBU) Summary: Minister of Public Security Le Hong Anh 
told the Ambassador October 20 that he is pleased with the 
developing U.S.-Vietnam relationship and is "absolutely 
committed" to ensuring the safety and security not only of 
USG facilities and personnel, but also of Americans 
traveling to Vietnam.  He noted that when in Vietnam both 
foreign visitors and Vietnamese employees of the U.S. 
Embassy in Hanoi and Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City 
are obligated to follow the laws and regulations of Vietnam 
and bear responsibility for violations.  Minister Anh agreed 
that timely consular notification in cases of arrest or 
detention of American citizens is an important issue and 
proposed a "working session" between relevant sections of 
MPS and the Embassy.  Referring to incidents involving 
harassment of FSN employees, Anh urged more discussion in 
cases in which "things happen that are unexpected or 
undesirable."  On the subject of law enforcement and 
counterterrorism cooperation, Anh said MPS "highly 
appreciated" the information the United States had provided 
to Vietnam on terrorism and narcotics.  He reaffirmed the 
right of Montagnard residents of the Central Highlands to 
join their relatives in the United States under legal 
immigration programs and asked for a list of cases in which 
we believed there had been problems obtaining documents. 
End Summary. 
 
2. (SBU) The Ambassador called on Minister of Public 
Security Le Hong Anh October 20, accompanied by Poloff, RSO 
and the acting DEA Country Attache.  Anh brought only his 
administrative chief of staff and the Director of the 
Department of International Cooperation; no one from the 
security side or the General Department of Police was 
present at the meeting. 
 
CONSULAR NOTIFICATION 
--------------------- 
 
3. (SBU) The Ambassador stressed the seriousness with which 
he takes his responsibility for the welfare of American 
citizens in Vietnam and emphasized that the Embassy and 
Consulate General must have timely information about arrests 
and detentions of American citizens as well as the ability 
to hold frank and private conversations with American 
detainees.  While taking care to emphasize the importance of 
foreign visitors' adhering to Vietnamese law, Anh 
acknowledged Vietnam's obligation to provide security for 
American citizens in Vietnam and to notify the U.S. Embassy 
or Consulate in the event of the arrest or detention of an 
American citizen.  The issue of notification, he said, 
"ought to be dealt with in a working session between 
relevant sections of the Ministry and the Embassy." (Note: 
Post will follow up on this offer next week.  End Note.) 
 
HARASSMENT OF FSNs 
------------------ 
 
4. (SBU) The Ambassador noted to Minister Anh that some 
employees of the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi and Consulate General 
in Ho Chi Minh City had been detained and interrogated by 
security personnel despite the fact that they were carrying 
out their regular and official duties.  In the future, the 
Ambassador suggested, if MPS has concerns about the activity 
of a USG employee, MPS should raise it directly with the 
Embassy or Consulate General.  For MPS to pursue these 
concerns directly with the employees is "very disturbing," 
the Ambassador said.  Anh responded that, while personally 
unfamiliar with the cases the Ambassador referred to, he 
could think of no reason why USG locally hired employees are 
not free to act "if they are not violating regulations or 
rules."  If there is some reason for an employee to do 
something "suspicious," the Embassy or Consulate General 
should inform MPS about which employee would be carrying out 
which task.  "As the hosts of your diplomatic mission," Anh 
continued, "the government must create good conditions for 
the execution of bilateral relations.  If some things happen 
that are unexpected or undesirable, we should discuss it." 
 
MONTAGNARD FOLLOW-TO-JOIN APPLICANTS: NO PROBLEMS EXIST, BUT 
WE'LL INVESTIGATE 
--------------------------------------------- ------------ 
 
5. (SBU) The Ambassador raised the issue of over 250 
Montagnard Visas 93 follow-to-join applicants from the 
Central Highlands whom we believed had encountered problems 
applying for passports and other necessary documents to 
complete their applications for permission to come to the 
United States.  Minister Anh provided a lengthy explanation 
of Vietnam's ethnic harmony and (referring to the April 2004 
protests in the Central Highlands) noted that "some people 
in some countries ignorant of the true situation in the 
Central Highlands" had distorted the situation created after 
the "recent excitement induced by undesirable people trying 
to undermine Vietnam."  The Minister said that, for 
"eligible" applicants from the Central Highlands, there 
should be no difficulty in procuring documents and noted 
that Vietnam has extensive experience in cooperating with 
the United States on immigration, such as in the 
Humanitarian Resettlement Program.  To facilitate a GVN 
inquiry, he asked the Ambassador to provide the names of 
people who had had difficulty in applying for documents. 
(Note: Post will work with ConGen Ho Chi Minh City to 
compile a list.  End Note.) 
 
COUNTERTERRORISM: APPRECIATE ASSISTANCE 
--------------------------------------- 
 
6. (SBU) The Minister stated that, "on the issue of 
counterterrorism, MPS is committed to the fight."  He noted 
that MPS greatly appreciates the information the USG 
provides on terrorism (and on narcotics cases) and said he 
hopes in the future to have "cooperation, support and 
assistance from the USG in dealing with terrorism." 
Minister Anh added that the sandbag-filled shipping 
containers the U.S. Embassy uses to provide setback space 
from the Chancery "have psychological effects only and are 
not effective in preventing terrorist attacks."  The 
Ambassador replied that the value of additional setback in 
limiting damage from vehicle bomb attacks is well 
established.  In response, Minister Anh said that MPS is 
committed to providing "absolute security for American 
facilities and personnel."  He offered to consult with the 
City of Hanoi regarding the possibility of switching to more 
attractive and unobtrusive barriers to replace the Embassy's 
containers, but warned that, if the City's objections are 
due to "planning obstacles" or if the barriers are 
considered inconsistent with Hanoi's role as the cultural, 
economic and political capital of Vietnam, then there would 
be nothing MPS could do. 
 
7. (SBU) The Ambassador stressed that in addition to the 
United States providing training and assistance to MPS on 
counterterrorism and counternarcotics, the two sides should 
be working closely at the operational level.  The ability of 
law enforcement officers to work directly with each other - 
currently prohibited by MPS - is essential to the successful 
effort to combat terrorism and transnational crime. "Current 
bilateral counternarcotics and counterterrorism activities 
are commendable," the Ambassador said, "but we can and 
should do better" to achieve more effective cooperation. 
Minister Anh pointedly chose not to respond to this point. 
 
8. (SBU) Comment:  Minister Anh spoke softly in a southern 
accent and looked considerably older than his 55 years. 
There is a tendency to minimize Anh's power and influence 
and exaggerate the clout of two of his more outgoing 
deputies, Nguyen Van Huong (on the security side) and Le The 
Tiem (on the police side).  This tendency is exacerbated by 
the fact that Minister Anh meets foreigners rarely - this 
meeting was his first with any American interlocutor in more 
than two years.  We may, however, be underestimating him: 
Anh has made it to the top of a tough organization and has 
been an influential member of the Communist Party Central 
Committee for eight years. 
 
9. (SBU) Comment, continued:  Anh's cautious and diplomatic 
comments were within expectations, and in some areas 
(notably greater operational-level law enforcement 
cooperation, which he did not address at all) we will have 
to satisfy ourselves with the fact that our concerns have 
now been heard at the top.  In other areas, such as the 
offer to review the list of Central Highlands Montagnards 
who have had trouble with local security forces and the 
suggestion of a working-level session on consular 
notification procedures, Anh's solution-oriented response 
was gratifying.  The challenge, as always with MPS, will be 
translating policy-level promises into working-level action. 
End Comment. 
MARINE