US embassy cable - 05HANOI249

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 000249 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT PASS TO EAP/BCLTV; EAP/RSP; DRL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, OVIP, VM, HUMANR, CTERR 
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH AFM HUNG: AMNESTY FOR 
SOME POLITICAL PRISONERS, CONCERN ABOUT VIETNAMESE-AMERICAN 
GROUP IN WASHINGTON 
 
REF: Hanoi 00004 
 
1. (SBU) Summary: The GVN's 2005 Tet amnesty will include 
five prisoners from the USG's list of persons of concern, 
including the high profile cases of Father Nguyen Dan Ly, 
Nguyen Dan Que, and Thich Thanh Tu, confirmed Assistant 
Foreign Minister Nguyen Duc Hung January 28.  Hung also 
conveyed the GVN's serious concern over reports that 
Vietnamese-American Nguyen Huu Chanh plans to open a 
Washington, D.C., office of his "Government of Free 
Vietnam."  End Summary. 
 
2. (SBU) The Ambassador met Assistant Foreign Minister 
Nguyen Duc Hung January 28 at the latter's "urgent request." 
Poloff also attended.  AFM Hung delivered a letter from Vice 
Foreign Minister Le Van Bang (para 8) confirming that, 
included among the "thousands" of prisoners to be released 
as part of the Tet amnesty in 2005, will be the high-profile 
prisoners of concern Nguyen Van Ly (aka Father Ly), Nguyen 
Dan Que (Dr. Que), Huynh Van Ba (aka Thich Thanh Tu or Thich 
Thien Minh), Mr. Truong Van Duc and Mr. Nguyen Dinh Huy. 
The GVN had no record of some of the other names on the 
USG's list of prisoners of concern, Hung said. 
 
3. (SBU) The Ambassador commended the GVN's decision to 
release these prisoners and asked AFM Hung to share with the 
Embassy the list of names of which the GVN had no record so 
that we could either update our records or clarify the 
situation.  AFM Hung agreed. 
 
4. (SBU) AFM Hung also passed on a letter from Foreign 
Minister Nguyen Dy Nien to Secretary Rice congratulating her 
on her confirmation.  We have forwarded that letter to the 
Department separately, by cable and by pouch. 
 
5. (SBU) Then turning to what he called "a not very 
fortunate subject," AFM said that he had seen a report from 
the Vietnamese Embassy in Washington saying that, following 
the "so-called nationwide Congress" in Anaheim, CA, of the 
"Government of Free Vietnam" (reftel), Nguyen Huu Chanh 
planned to open a representative office in Washington, with 
an opening ceremony scheduled for February 12.  The office, 
AFM Hung said, would be located at 1050 17th street, NW. 
"You must prevent this," AFM Hung stressed.  "If not, it 
will be extremely harmful to our relations.  You must 
prosecute him for his crimes."  AFM went on to say that 
Nguyen Huu Chanh is the subject of Interpol warrant 912/VN 
from Vietnam to Interpol United States and dated September 
10, 2002.  That warrant charges Nguyen Huu Chanh with arms 
smuggling and terrorism, AFM Hung said. 
 
6. (SBU) The Ambassador told AFM Hung that the United States 
Government understands the seriousness with which the GVN 
takes the Nguyen Huu Chanh case and the importance the GVN 
attaches to it.  The Department of State, he added, is 
looking into the matter, but the Ambassador can make no 
promises about its resolution.  It would be useful if the 
GVN could provide a copy of the warrant in question, the 
Ambassador continued, because the United States could not 
take action against anyone without clear evidence that they 
had violated U.S. law. 
 
7. (SBU) "Please take action," AFM Hung implored.  "If this 
[the opening of Chanh's Washington office] occurs, 
everything we have achieved to this point will be lost." 
 
8. (SBU) Letter from Vice Foreign Minister Le Van Bang to 
Ambassador Marine: 
 
BEGIN TEXT 
 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
Socialist Republic of Vietnam 
Hanoi, January 28, 2005 
 
Ambassador Michael W. Marine 
Embassy of the United States of America 
Hanoi 
 
Dear Ambassador, 
 
I am writing to respond to your letter dated January 26, 
2005, regarding the United States Government's stated 
request. 
 
While respectful of your Government's expressed view 
relating to these cases, I would like to assure you that 
these individuals, some of the names are not found in our 
records, are prosecuted because of their violations of our 
laws, not of any other reason (sic). 
 
However, I would also like to inform you that in keeping 
with the humanitarian policy of our Government and due to 
the good conduct while carrying out their sentences, 
thousands (of) detainees will be set free in the upcoming 
Second Amnesty Round to be held at the end of this month. 
These include, among others, Mr. Nguyen Van Ly, Mr. Nguyen 
Dan Que, Mr. Huynh Van Ba (Thich Thien Minh), Mr. Truong Van 
Duc, and Mr. Nguyen Dinh Huy. 
 
The candid dialogue between our two countries has continued 
to serve our mutual understanding.  In this regard I would 
like to reiterate the Viet Nam Government's standing request 
that the name of Viet Nam should be removed from the List of 
Countries of Particular Concern, which could contribute to 
creating a constructive atmosphere conducive to the 10th 
anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations 
between our two countries. 
 
Thank you for your cooperation and I look forward to 
discussing with you measures to further the relationship 
between Viet Nam and the United States. 
 
Respectfully, 
 
Le Van Bang 
Vice Minister 
 
END TEXT OF LETTER 
 
MARINE