US embassy cable - 04HANOI3050

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 003050 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/PD (ASESHADRI) AND EAP/BCLTV 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO, VM, PGOV, PHUM, KHIV, KIRF, MARR, MOPS 
SUBJECT: Ambassador Visits MIA Recovery Site; Meets with 
Provincial Officials 
 
1.   (U) Summary:  The Ambassador traveled to Nghe An and Ha 
Tinh Provinces in northern central Vietnam November 4-5 to 
visit a Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) operational 
recovery site and to observe the turnover of remains 
believed to be those of an American serviceman lost during 
the Vietnam conflict.  The Ambassador also took the 
opportunity to meet with senior provincial officials to 
raise concerns about religious freedom and HIV/AIDS.  In a 
separate meeting, he discussed education exchanges with the 
Vinh University president.  End Summary. 
 
2.   (U) On November 4, the Ambassador visited the 79th 
Joint Field Activities site in Que Phong district of Nghe An 
Province where combined U.S.-Vietnam teams are working to 
recover the remains of an American serviceman lost during 
the Vietnam conflict.  Lieutenant Colonel Lentfort Mitchell, 
Commander of Detachment Two, JPAC, Mr. Pham Van Que, 
Director of the Vietnam Office for Seeking Missing Persons 
(VNOSMP) under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, reporters 
from the Boston Globe and San Jose Mercury News, a JPAC 
Public Affairs Officer, and Embassy's Assistant Public 
Affairs Officer accompanied the Ambassador.  Upon arrival at 
the site via an MI-17 helicopter, the Ambassador met with 
the site team leader, Major Myrtith Brown, and other members 
of the team, including a forensic anthropologist.  Major 
Brown described the ongoing recovery operations, which, 
while not conclusive, are proceeding very well, and 
highlighted the excellent cooperation his team has received 
from VNOSMP officials and local villagers. 
 
3.  (U) During a courtesy call on Mr. Hoang Ky, Vice 
Chairman of the Nghe An Provincial People's Committee, the 
Ambassador thanked provincial officials for their support of 
JPAC's ongoing efforts and asked for additional cooperation 
as JPAC continues the difficult work of investigating, 
surveying and excavating other cases in the area.  Ky 
responded that the people of Vietnam understand the tragedy 
of losing loved ones during the war and are completely 
sympathetic and ready to help with the recovery of the 
remains of U.S. MIA/POW soldiers. 
 
4.   (U) Vice Chairman Ky asked the Ambassador to encourage 
U.S. investors to consider Nghe An.  He said the province is 
growing rapidly, following the expansion of the Vinh airport 
and improvements to the Route One Highway and the railroad. 
Noting that Nghe An is competing with Ho Chi Minh City and 
other more prosperous areas, the Ambassador urged the 
provincial government to improve regulatory transparency, 
rule of law and operating conditions as incentives to 
attract investors. 
 
5.   (U) Ky added that Nghe An Province, with Laos along its 
border, is waging a campaign against drugs and suffers from 
one of the highest rates of HIV/AIDS in the country.  The 
Ambassador noted that the U.S. Government (USG) is providing 
USD 25 million this year to the GVN to combat HIV/AIDS and 
will be identifying areas of need as it expands its 
assistance outside the areas with the highest prevalence of 
the disease. 
 
6.   (U) The Ambassador also took the opportunity to 
underscore the significance of religious freedom as the 
region develops, referencing in particular implementing 
regulations for the new ordinance on religion scheduled to 
go into effect on November 15. He cautioned that reports of 
forced denouncements of faith and interference in religious 
practice in some areas of Vietnam hurt our mutual efforts in 
building our bilateral relationship.  While no such reports 
have come to light in Nghe An, the Ambassador urged Ky to 
foster an environment conducive to the free practice of 
religion, the building of more churches, and permission for 
more priests and ministers to be ordained. 
 
7.  (U) On November 5, the Ambassador observed the handover 
of remains believed to be those of an American serviceman 
missing in Ha Tinh Province.  Mr. Tran Van Lam, Vice 
Chairman of the Ha Tinh Provincial Foreign Relations 
Committee, welcomed the Ambassador and observed the handover 
along with several dozen local villagers. 
 
8.  (U) The Ambassador reiterated his message regarding 
MIAs, the economy, HIV/AIDS and religious freedom when he 
met with Vice Chairman Le Van Chat of the Ha Tinh Provincial 
People's Committee.  Chat urged the Ambassador to pay 
special attention to Agent Orange during his tenure in 
Vietnam.  The Ambassador responded that our two governments 
have been cooperating to design and implement projects to 
improve our scientific understanding of this issue.  The USG 
has contributed more than USD four million to support these 
efforts.  In the meantime, the USG continues to contribute 
to efforts to help those in need, including individuals with 
a wide range of disabilities in Vietnam. 
 
9.   (U) During his stay in Vinh, the Ambassador met with 
the Vinh University rector, Dr. Nguyen Dinh Huan. The 
Ambassador urged the university to nominate more qualified 
candidates for various scholarship programs, including the 
Fulbright and Humphreys, as well as the International 
Visitors program.  Dr. Huan mentioned that his 
multidisciplinary university would be celebrating its 45th 
anniversary in ten days and is on track to expanding its 
exposure to international higher education.  The university 
has worked with the Ford Foundation and various other NGO's 
to recruit volunteer English teachers as it works to develop 
its English language program. The Ambassador pledged that 
the Embassy's Public Affairs Section would look for 
opportunities to raise the profile of Vinh University and to 
engage in outreach activities in Vinh. 
 
10.  (U) Comment: The northern central provinces of Nghe An 
and Ha Tinh are suffering from drought.  Vinh City, the 
capital of Nghe An Province, and surrounding areas were 
heavily bombed by American forces during the war.  Nghe An 
remains one of the poorest provinces in Vietnam (per capita 
GDP of USD 250) with a modest claim to fame as the 
birthplace of Ho Chi Minh. This visit confirmed that JPAC's 
MIA/POW remains recovery activities are making progress, 
based on good cooperation from local officials and villagers 
as well as the VNSOMP office in Hanoi.  Officials in both 
provinces complained of being isolated and neglected by 
foreign assistance groups and educational foundations 
(reaching Nghe An takes six hours by car and four hours by 
train from Hanoi with few direct commercial flights).  There 
is a definite need in northern central Vietnam for public 
affairs outreach in addition to assistance programs in drug 
enforcement and HIV/AIDS that Post will make efforts to 
address. End comment. 
 
 
Marine