US embassy cable - 05HANOI441

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 HANOI 000441 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV, H/EAP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, OVIP, VM, HIV/AIDS, WTO, RELFREE, HUMANR, ETMIN, BTA 
SUBJECT:  Codel McHugh Discusses Fullest Possible Accounting 
with Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan, Other Vietnamese 
Officials 
 
1. (U) Summary:  Representatives and Armed Services 
Committee Members John McHugh, Jim Marshall and Ken Calvert 
met February 22 with Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan, Vice 
Foreign Minister Le Van Bang, National Assembly Foreign 
Relations Committee Chairman Vu Mao and Vice Minister of 
Defense Colonel General Nguyen Huy Hieu to discuss fullest 
possible accounting for MIAs and the overall bilateral 
relationship.  The Codel expressed gratitude for GVN 
assistance in MIA accounting activities and pressed for 
expanded cooperation by allowing unfettered archival access, 
permitting activities to resume in the Central Highlands and 
agreeing to a medevac helicopter to support site activities. 
On resuming operations in the Central Highlands, VFM Le Van 
Bang asked for a list of specific cases and locations and 
promised to do his best to persuade the relevant officials 
to support the resumption of Joint POW/MIA Accounting 
Command activities in that region.  He also pledged to 
provide more archival materials.  Vice Minister of Defense 
Hieu, on the subject of U.S. military training assistance, 
expressed in positive terms the possibility of reaching an 
International Military Training and Education (IMET) 
Agreement with the United States.  The Codel's interlocutors 
discussed in familiar terms other areas of the bilateral 
relationship, urging U.S. support for Vietnam's WTO 
accession and describing the positive advances Vietnam has 
made in religious freedom and human rights.  End Summary. 
 
Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan 
------------------------------ 
 
2. (SBU) Representatives and Members of the House Armed 
Services Committee John McHugh (R-NY), Jim Marshall (D-GA) 
and Ken Calvert (R-CA) met February 22 with Deputy Prime 
Minister Vu Khoan.  The Ambassador, Pol/C, JPAC Det 2 
Commander and A/DATT were also present.  The Deputy Prime 
Minister opened by remarking on the significance of 2005 as 
marking the tenth anniversary of the normalization of U.S.- 
Vietnam bilateral relations and welcomed the significant 
progress both countries have made in advancing their ties. 
In addition to economic relations, cooperation in other 
areas, such as the fullest possible accounting of missing 
American personnel, HIV/AIDS care and prevention and 
defense, has also been significant.  However, "there 
continue to be obstacles in the relationship," and both 
sides should make an effort to "resolve issues left by the 
past." 
 
3. (SBU) DPM Khoan expressed the GVN's hope that the United 
States and Vietnam could formulate a "framework for 
bilateral cooperation" (NFI).  He also urged the United 
States to support Vietnam's WTO accession, suggested that a 
number of agreements could be reached before the Prime 
Minister's proposed visit to the United States in June, 
called for increasing bilateral discussions and exchanges, 
particularly in the area of national defense and 
international affairs and pressed the United States to 
"overcome" Vietnam's designation as a Country of Particular 
Concern (CPC) for religious freedom violations.  "As you can 
see, there is no religious suppression in Vietnam," DPM 
Khoan said.  On the issue of "trade difficulties," the DPM 
noted that resolving these "will demand our attention and 
efforts" and should be dealt with through "mutual respect 
and benefits." 
 
4. (SBU) Representative McHugh responded by expressing the 
Codel's gratitude for the GVN's cooperation in our fullest 
possible accounting efforts to date.  Additional assistance 
in resolving "last known alive" cases would also be welcome, 
as would greater archival access and GVN permission to 
conduct investigation and recovery operations in the Central 
Highlands.  Greater bilateral cooperation could perhaps help 
Vietnam to resolve its own MIA cases.  The United and 
Vietnam have come a long way since normalization, and, while 
issues remain in areas such as religious freedom, growth and 
progress in the relationship are key, Mr. McHugh said.  He 
added that the United States looks forward to Vietnam's 
accession to the World Trade Organization, but expressed 
some concern over the National Assembly's ability to bring 
all Vietnamese laws into compliance with WTO rules in a 
timely fashion. 
 
5. (SBU) Noting that he served in Vietnam 35 years ago as an 
Infantry Ranger, Congressman Marshall expressed his 
gratitude on behalf of all veterans for Vietnam's 
cooperative efforts accounting for MIA's.  Access to 
archives without time constraints as well as permission to 
conduct activities in the Central Highlands are critical, 
Representative Marshall underlined.  Congressman Calvert, 
noting that a large number of ethnic Vietnamese live in his 
district, expressed his support for expanding trade and 
other ties.  At the close of the meeting, the Codel 
presented DPM Khoan with a letter to Prime Minister Phan Van 
Khai thanking the GVN for its assistance and urging 
increased cooperation in resolving missing personnel cases. 
Attached to the letter was a list of MIAs from the three 
Congressmen's districts (copy of letter faxed to EAP/BCLTV). 
 
Vice Foreign Minister Le Van Bang 
--------------------------------- 
 
6. (U) During an earlier meeting with Vice Foreign Minister 
Le Van Bang, the Codel members thanked the GVN for its 
efforts to help to resolve MIA cases and stressed the 
importance of continued fullest possible accounting 
cooperation, particularly regarding allowing both unfettered 
archival access with no time limit and resumption of Joint 
POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) activities in the Central 
Highlands.  Congressman McHugh observed that progress had 
been made recently on the issue of underwater recovery 
operations but added that the question of GVN permission for 
a medevac helicopter to support field activities remains 
unresolved.  Representative McHugh also expressed his hope 
for continued GVN efforts to address human rights and 
religious freedom issues and, on the issue of trade, said he 
looks forward to the permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) 
vote for Vietnam. 
 
7. (SBU) VFM Le Van Bang, in addition to praising the 
progress the bilateral relationship has seen over the last 
ten years, observed that the United States and Vietnam now 
have many "areas of understanding," such as in defense and 
MIA accounting cooperation.  Vietnam has endeavored to make 
progress in issues related to human rights and religious 
freedom and hopes to continue to receive U.S. support for 
WTO accession.  In fact, Vietnam hopes to conclude its 
bilateral negotiations with the United States before China 
and have something to announce on the occasion of Prime 
Minister Phan Van Khai's visit to Washington in June, VFM 
Bang said. 
 
8. (SBU) Turning to fullest possible accounting, VFM Bang 
noted that joint field activities continued to proceed 
successfully.  On activities in the Central Highlands, the 
Vietnamese side has asked for specific cases and locations. 
Once these were in hand -- although it will be "difficult to 
persuade those concerned" -- VFM Bang promised to "work with 
you."  VFM Bang also pledged to "try to hand over more 
archival materials." 
 
National Assembly 
----------------- 
 
9. (SBU) Meeting with National Assembly Foreign Relations 
Committee Chair Vu Mao, the Codel expressed its gratitude 
for Vietnam's support for fullest possible accounting 
activities and urged further and expanded cooperation in the 
future.  Chairman Mao said he recognizes the importance of 
MIA accounting and pledged continued cooperation in the 
future.  Vietnam has its own heavy burden of missing 
soldiers - more than 300,000 - and it is sometimes difficult 
to explain to the Vietnamese people why the GVN is doing 
more to account for American missing than Vietnamese. 
However, Vietnam is prepared to continue to render 
assistance to the United States, the Chairman said. 
 
10. (SBU) Bilateral cooperation is flourishing, and Vietnam 
is grateful for U.S. assistance in implementing the 
Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA), Chairman Mao continued. 
Vietnam's legal system and experience are "insufficient," 
but Vietnam continues to learn and gain experience, such as 
from the recent U.S. shrimp anti-dumping case.  The issue of 
human rights remains an area of disagreement between the 
United States and Vietnam, and, regrettably, the U.S. House 
of Representatives passed the Vietnam Human Rights Act. 
Human rights and religious freedom in Vietnam are protected 
by Vietnam's Constitution, and local officials who "make 
mistakes" are punished and sometimes fired.  The GVN's major 
concern is how to ensure the Vietnamese people are happy and 
prosperous.  Some have attempted to use religion to create a 
separate Montagnard state, but this is unacceptable. 
Chairman Mao concluded by expressing his hope for greater 
exchanges between parliamentarians in both countries. 
 
Vice Minister of Defense Colonel General Nguyen Huy Hieu 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
 
11. (SBU) Meeting with Vice Minister of Defense Colonel 
General Nguyen Huy Hieu, the Codel expressed its gratitude 
for Vietnam's support for fullest possible accounting 
activities and urged further and expanded cooperation in the 
future.  Colonel General Hieu said he recognizes the 
importance of MIA accounting and considers it a humanitarian 
issue that the Ministry of Defense fully supports.  He also 
noted the bilateral military-to-military relationship is 
growing thanks to activities such as U.S. Navy ship visits 
and the planned co-hosting with the U.S. Pacific Command 
(USPACOM) of the multilateral Asia-Pacific Military Medical 
Conference (APMMC) in Hanoi in May 2005.  In the recent 
past, Vietnam welcomed two U.S. Navy ships and plans to 
welcome another very soon.  At some point in the future, 
Vietnam hopes to send a Vietnamese Navy vessel to call at a 
U.S. port.  Colonel General Hieu offered his thanks to the 
USG for the support it has provided for a demining survey in 
three provinces and said that the GVN is moving ahead with 
plans for Phase Two of the project.  He also expressed 
support for the Ministry of Defense's cooperation with the 
United States on the International and Military Training 
(IMET) program, stating, "The Ministry of Defense has asked 
the Government of Vietnam to sign the IMET agreement." 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
12. (SBU) The general tone of every call was positive and 
cooperative, with the CODEL's hosts offering support for 
continued development of the bilateral relationship across 
nearly every front.  Notably, the Ministry of National 
Defense's expressed support for signing an IMET Agreement 
was unexpected.  The Ministry has been reluctant to enter 
into this agreement because of the human rights vetting 
requirement.  Vice Minister Hieu's comments indicate a 
change in policy and Post will actively follow up to try to 
close this deal and initiate an IMET program with Vietnam. 
 
13. (U) Codel McHugh cleared this message. 
 
MARINE