US embassy cable - 05HANOI313

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 000313 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT PASS TO EAP/BCLTV; EAP/RSP; DRL; PRM; H; PM; T 
 
STATE PASS TO USTR FOR E. BRYAN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, PGOV, KIRF, OTRA, OVIP, ETRD, VM, WTO, RELFREE, HUMANR, HIV/AIDS, APEC, CVR 
SUBJECT: NSC Senior Director Michael Green's Meeting with FM 
Nguyen Dy Nien:  WTO, Religious Freedom and Prime Minister's 
Visit 
 
Ref: A. Hanoi 284 B. Hanoi 254 
 
1. (SBU) Summary: Vietnamese Foreign Minister Nguyen Dzy 
Nien told visiting Senior Director for Asia Michael J. Green 
that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is optimistic about the 
bilateral relationship and, though very unhappy about 
Vietnam's designation as a Country of Particular Concern for 
Religious Freedom, "will do our best to prove we should be 
off the list."  Vietnam is "ready to send, and welcome," 
religious delegations to engage in dialogue on religious 
freedom, the FM said.  Vietnam is hoping for a conclusion to 
bilateral negotiations with the United States on WTO "very 
soon" and wants USG help in receiving Permanent Normal 
Trading Relations (PNTR) status, Nien said.  End Summary. 
 
2. (SBU) NSC Senior Director for Asia Michael J. Green met 
with Foreign Minister Nguyen Dzy Nien February 4.  The 
Ambassador and Poloff accompanied.  FM Nien opened the 
meeting with the promise that the Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs would "fully cooperate" with plans for the visit to 
the United States of Prime Minister Phan Van Khai in 2005. 
"We look forward to further strengthening of the 
relationship," FM Nien said.  Dr. Green said there is "great 
optimism" in the USG towards the bilateral relationship and 
noted that Vietnam was the only Southeast Asian stop he was 
making on this trip to Asia.  The USG believes that the 
bilateral relationship is strategic and important and at a 
critical stage, Dr. Green continued.  The United States and 
Vietnam have common strategic interests and strong and 
deepening economic, cultural and political ties, he said, 
although these ties have been made more complicated this 
year by the "tough issue" of religious freedom.  The 
religious freedom "work plan" (ref A) Dr. Green discussed 
earlier in the day with Assistant Foreign Minister Nguyen 
Duc Hung (septel) offered a win-win solution to the problem 
of Vietnam's continued status as a Country of Particular 
Concern for religious freedom, Dr. Green said.  The GVN's 
decision to release prisoners of concern to the United 
States (ref B) was a "good move," Dr. Green stated, and the 
United States wants to follow that up by working with the 
GVN on systemic change.  With agreement on a work plan, the 
USG hoped to work out a long-term solution and allow the 
Prime Minister and President Bush to have a productive 
discussion. 
 
3. (SBU) The Foreign Minister said he, too, is optimistic 
about the relationship.  The GVN will "do its best" to 
observe religious freedom and allow the people of Vietnam to 
enjoy it, he added.  Religious freedom is enshrined in the 
Constitution, and all Vietnamese people should have the 
freedom to worship whatever religion they choose, as well as 
the freedom not to worship.  The designation of Vietnam as a 
Country of Particular Concern (CPC) made people "very 
unhappy" because it was unfair, FM Nien said.  "We need your 
support to lift CPC," he said.  "We will do our best to 
prove we should be off the list, but we need your support." 
The "work plan" will pave the way for Vietnam's removal from 
the list and a positive exchange of high-level visits, Dr. 
Green replied, adding that both sides need to exchange 
diplomatic notes or other written instruments to consolidate 
and clarify the issue. 
 
4. (SBU) Another way to improve communication between the 
United States and Vietnam is the opening of a "second track" 
dialogue on human rights and religious freedom issues, Dr. 
Green said.  The track could include think tanks, 
universities, religious groups and other institutions and 
allow for broader U.S.-Vietnam engagement.  The Ambassador 
observed that religious organizations in the United States 
are a very positive force in dealing with HIV/AIDS, an area 
of close U.S.-Vietnam cooperation; a second track is another 
opportunity for useful exchange on their efforts to help 
address social problems.  The Foreign Minister said this is 
an "excellent idea" and said the GVN is "ready to welcome 
and send religious delegations." 
 
5. (SBU) From the Vietnamese perspective, the tough issue is 
WTO accession.  The GVN hopes to "conclude negotiations with 
the United States very soon" to pave the way for Vietnam's 
accession, FM Nien said.  Dr. Green replied that the office 
of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) is "working hard and 
determined to wrap up negotiations as soon as possible." 
One of the obstacles is legislation the Vietnamese National 
Assembly needed to pass.  Perhaps, Dr. Green suggested, it 
would be easier to push through "umbrella legislation" that 
would supercede existing trade laws.  This solution had 
worked in China, he noted.  Whether or not negotiations have 
concluded by a Prime Minister visit in June or July, the two 
sides should be able to claim they are moving in that 
direction.  FM Nien noted that Vietnam also would need to be 
granted Permanent Normal Trading Relations (PNTR) status. 
Dr. Green responded that this will require a Congressional 
vote and that because many members of Congress are very 
interested in Vietnam, it will be necessary to convince many 
of them individually that PNTR for Vietnam is the right 
move.  The Ambassador noted that further releases of 
political prisoners, progress on the "work plan" and action 
on commercial issues of interest to U.S. companies are all 
good preparations for the PNTR vote.  The Foreign Minister 
said he hopes all will go well, because "our friendship will 
do a lot to consolidate peace and prosperity in the region." 
 
6. (SBU) Foreign relations is not a zero-sum game, Dr. Green 
said, and the U.S.-Vietnam relationship does not have to 
come at the expense of Vietnam-China relations or any other 
relationship.  The United States is "on a good track" with 
China, he said, and Vietnam has its own relationship with 
other states.  The benefit of this is that it motivates 
China to develop good relations of its own with Vietnam and 
other neighbors.  One direct manifestation of this is 
regional architecture systems in East Asia, Dr. Green said; 
good dialogue among countries leads to regional architecture 
institutions being open and inclusive.  The United States 
and Vietnam have common interests in this area particularly, 
and should "conspire together" to guide the development of 
new regional architecture institutions.  From the U.S. 
perspective, APEC is still the preeminent regional 
organization in Asia and the Pacific, Dr. Green said.  The 
United States plays a leading role in APEC, and wants to 
cooperate with Vietnam to prepare for both the upcoming APEC 
summit in Korea and the 2006 summit in Vietnam, which 
President Bush will probably attend.  The United States is 
focused on two main APEC themes, Dr. Green explained: trade 
liberalization and facilitation and the regional integration 
of bilateral free trade agreements; and, taking collective 
steps to prevent terrorism and proliferation from becoming 
consequences of increased and liberalized trade in the 
region.  FM Nien said he looks forward to working with the 
United States on APEC and other issues, and sent his regards 
to National Security Advisor Hadley. 
 
7. (U) Dr. Green cleared this message. 
 
MARINE