US embassy cable - 02HANOI931

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 HANOI 000931 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/16/12 
TAGS: PGOV, PINS, PREL, CH, VM, DPOL 
SUBJECT: SETTING VIETNAM'S IDEOLOGICAL COURSE 
 
REF:  FBIS SEP20020307000012 
 
1. (U) CLASSIFIED BY POL/C SCOTT BELLARD, REASON: 1.5 
(D) 
 
2. (C)  SUMMARY.  THE CPV'S CENTRAL THEORETICAL 
RESEARCH COUNCIL IS STRUGGLING TO REDEFINE VIETNAMESE 
SOCIALISM IN THE FACE OF MARKET-DRIVEN ECONOMIC 
DEVELOPMENT AND GLOBALIZATION, AS WELL AS INTERNAL 
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CHALLENGES STEMMING FROM OVERLY BUREAUCRATIC PRACTICES 
AND CORRUPTION.  ENTRY INTO THE CPV OF PRIVATE 
ENTREPRENEURS REMAINS A CONTENTIOUS THEORETICAL ISSUE. 
IDEOLOGICAL ORGANS ARE LIKELY DESPERATE TO RETAIN 
INFLUENCE IN AN ERA WHEN THEORIES ARE OF LITTLE IF ANY 
INTEREST TO MOST OF THE PUBLIC AND WHEN THE IDEOLOGICAL 
LEADERSHIP OF THE CPV IS INCREASINGLY IRRELEVANT TO 
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL REALITIES.  END SUMMARY. 
 
3. (C)  IN A MEETING WITH POL/C ON APRIL 15, DR. DAO 
DUY QUAT, VICE CHAIRMAN OF COMMISSION FOR IDEOLOGICAL 
AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE 
COMMUNIST PARTY OF VIETNAM (CPV) AND SIMULTANEOUSLY A 
MEMBER OF THE CENTRAL THEORETICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL, 
DESCRIBED THE MAJOR ACTIVITIES AND PRIORITIES OF THE 
COUNCIL.  HE WAS JOINED BY DR. NGUYEN VIET THONG, 
DIRECTOR OF THE THEORETICAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF THE 
COMMISSION FOR IDEOLOGICAL AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS, AND 
MS. PHAM THI DAO, AN EXPERT IN ITS DEPARTMENT FOR 
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND POPULARIZATION. 
 
ORGANIZATIONAL ASPECTS 
---------------------- 
 
4.  (C) DR. QUAT STRESSED THAT ALL THE WORK OF THE 
COUNCIL WAS PREMISED ON THE NECESSITY FOR THE CPV TO 
"HOLD POWER" AND TO RETAIN ITS "DECISIVE PATH-SETTING" 
VIS-A-VIS POLICIES FOR VIETNAM.  THE COUNCIL ACTS AS AN 
"ADVISER" TO THE POLITBURO, CENTRAL COMMITTEE, AND CPV 
GENERAL SECRETARY NONG DUC MANH ON THE THEORETICAL 
BASIS FOR EXISTING AND NEW POLICIES, ALTHOUGH HE SAID 
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THAT THE COUNCIL MEMBERS DO NOT OFFER SPECIFIC POLICY 
RECOMMENDATIONS PER SE.  THE COUNCIL ALSO ADVISES THE 
CPV ON IDEOLOGICAL CAMPAIGNS TO IMPLEMENT CPV 
DECISIONS, SUCH AS TO PROMOTE VIETNAM'S ECONOMIC 
MODERNIZATION UNDER "DOI MOI" AND ITS INTEGRATION INTO 
THE WORLD ECONOMY. 
 
5.  (U)  COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE SELECTED FOR FIVE YEAR 
TERMS AT THE BEGINNING OF EACH NEW PARTY CONGRESS.  DR. 
QUAT WAS ELECTED TO HIS SECOND TERM AT THE NINTH PARTY 
CONGRESS IN 2001, WHEN THE COUNCIL WAS EXPANDED FROM 23 
TO 36 MEMBERS.  THE COUNCIL DID NOT EXIST UNDER THIS 
NAME OR WITH ITS CURRENT FUNCTIONS BEFORE THE 7TH PARTY 
CONGRESS, ALTHOUGH DR. QUAT INDICATED THAT OTHER CPV 
ORGANS BEFORE THEN HAD HANDLED RELATED FUNCTIONS. 
 
6.  (C)  THE COUNCIL INCLUDES FIVE OFFICES:  POLITICS, 
ECONOMICS, CULTURE AND SOCIETY, PARTY-BUILDING, AND 
DEFENSE AND PUBLIC SECURITY.  (NOTE:  EMBASSY 
UNDERSTANDS THAT THERE ARE ALSO FIVE PERMANENT STAFF 
MEMBERS, ALTHOUGH DR. QUAT DID NOT DISCUSS THEIR 
EXISTENCE OR ROLE. END NOTE)  EACH MEMBER IS FOCUSED ON 
ONE MAIN SPECIALTY, WHILE EXPECTED ALSO TO BE ABLE TO 
CONTRIBUTE ON ALL ASPECTS OF THE COUNCIL'S WORK. 
COUNCIL MEMBERS MAY INDIVIDUALLY OR JOINTLY UNDERTAKE 
"RESEARCH" PROJECTS, WHICH APPEAR MOSTLY TO TAKE THE 
FORM OF VISITS AND INSPECTIONS (BOTH TO CENTRAL ORGANS 
IN HANOI AND IN THE COUNTRYSIDE), AS WELL AS LIAISON 
AND EXCHANGES OF VIEWS WITH FOREIGN COUNTERPARTS.  DR. 
QUAT EXPRESSED AN INTEREST IN CONTACTS WITH A RESEARCH 
ORGANIZATION UNDER THE "RULING PARTY" OF THE UNITED 
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STATES. 
 
7.  (C)  THE COUNCIL MEETS IN PLENUM FOR ABOUT A WEEK 
EVERY THREE MONTHS, DR. QUAT SAID, FOR GENERAL 
DISCUSSION ON TWO OR THREE SELECTED THEORETICAL ISSUES. 
IT USUALLY PREPARES A WRITTEN DOCUMENT FOR REFERENCE 
PRIMARILY BY THE POLITBURO AND GENERAL SECRETARY; HE 
ADMITTED THAT THESE DOCUMENTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE FOR 
PUBLIC PURVIEW OR DISCUSSION.  THE POLITBURO ISSUES 
GENERAL GUIDANCE ON THEORETICAL PRIORITIES AT THE 
BEGINNING OF EVERY PARTY CONGRESS, BUT HE ADDED THAT 
THE COUNCIL RECEIVES MORE UPDATED GUIDANCE REGULARLY AS 
PRIORITIES CHANGE. 
 
TASKS FOR 2002 
-------------- 
 
8.  (C)  THE COUNCIL CONTINUES TO STRUGGLE TO 
ARTICULATE A "CLEAR THEORY" ABOUT THE NATURE AND 
DIRECTION OF SOCIALISM IN A MARKET-ORIENTED ECONOMY, 
DR. QUAT ADMITTED.  HE NOTED THE THEORETICAL 
 
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ACTION EAP-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    ACQ-00   CIAE-00  DODE-00  DS-00    FBIE-00 
      VC-00    TEDE-00  INR-00   VCE-00   NSAE-00  DSCC-00  DRL-02 
      NFAT-00  SAS-00     /002W 
                  ------------------86CD26  160955Z /38 
R 160912Z APR 02 
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 6195 
INFO AMEMBASSY BEIJING 
USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 03 HANOI 000931 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV 
 
 
DIFFICULTIES IN DEFINING THE LEADING ROLE OF THE PARTY 
IN AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCREASINGLY DRIVEN BY THE 
ROLE OF MARKETS.  HE POINTED TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF 
THE US-VIETNAM BILATERAL TRADE AGREEMENT, AS WELL AS TO 
THE EFFECTS OF GLOBALIZATION ON VIETNAMESE AGRICULTURE, 
AS OTHER COMPLICATING FACTORS IN THIS THEORETICAL 
DEBATE.  HOWEVER, HE STRESSED THAT THE SIGNING AND 
RATIFICATION OF THE BTA, AS WELL AS ONGOING EFFORTS BY 
VIETNAM TO JOIN THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION, CLEARLY 
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WERE THE RESULTS OF, AND REFLECTED, CPV POLICY AND 
PRIORITIES.  HE ALSO POINTED TO THE "LONG TERM POSITIVE 
EFFECTS" OF BTA ON VIETNAM'S ECONOMIC GROWTH, AND SAID 
THAT ITS IMPLEMENTATION WAS UNDOUBTEDLY IN THE BEST 
INTERESTS OF BOTH COUNTRIES.  HE NOTED EXPLICITLY THAT 
HE WAS "NOT OFFERING PERSONAL OPINIONS." 
 
9.  (C)  STRENGTHENING THE IDEOLOGICAL LEVEL OF PARTY 
AND GOVERNMENT CADRES WAS ANOTHER KEY TASK FOR 2002, 
DR. QUAT SAID.  HE NOTED THAT "THE REALITY IS THAT SOME 
PARTY MEMBERS AND SOME CADRES ARE WEAK" IN THIS DOMAIN. 
HE CLAIMED NONETHELESS THAT THE PARTY WAS "MAKING 
PROGRESS" IN THIS EFFORT.  (REFTEL PROVIDES TEXT OF CPV 
GENERAL SECRETARY MANH'S SPEECH TO A JANUARY 29 MEETING 
OF THE COUNCIL, AS REPORTED IN TAP CHI CONG SAN, THE 
BIMONTHLY THEORETICAL JOURNAL OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE, 
IN WHICH HE DISCUSSES THIS PROBLEM EXTENSIVELY.) 
 
10.  (C)  ANOTHER ONGOING DEBATE REVOLVED AROUND PARTY 
MEMBERSHIP BY PRIVATE ENTREPRENEURS, DR. QUAT SAID IN 
RESPONSE TO A QUESTION.  HE NOTED THAT THE COUNCIL HAD 
FOLLOWED CLOSELY THE DEBATE WITHIN THE CHINESE 
COMMUNIST PARTY ON THIS ISSUE, BUT THAT THE CCP WAS 
FURTHER AHEAD IN ITS DECISION-MAKING.  (HE ADDED THAT 
HE WAS LEAVING ON APRIL 16 FOR THE PRC TO EXCHANGE 
VIEWS ON THIS AND OTHER THEORETICAL ISSUES WITH CCP 
COUNTERPARTS.)  DR. QUAT REMARKED THAT THE "BIG 
DISAGREEMENTS" WITHIN THE CPV ON THIS SUBJECT STEMMED 
FROM THE CPV'S SELF-IDENTIFICATION WITH THE "WORKERS" 
AND NOT WITH THE "BOSSES" OR "EXPLOITERS."  MANY CPV 
MEMBERS, OR AT LEAST "A PART" OF THE CPV, FELT STRONGLY 
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PAGE 03        HANOI  00931  02 OF 03  160955Z 
THAT THE CPV SHOULD MAINTAIN THIS SOLIDARITY.  HOWEVER, 
THE CPV LEADERSHIP HAS ALREADY AGREED THAT CURRENT CPV 
MEMBERS MAY ENGAGE IN PRIVATE BUSINESS, ACCORDING TO 
DR. QUAT, WHILE DEFERRING FOR NOW ANY DECISION ON 
WHETHER ANY NEW MEMBERS MAY COME FROM THE RANKS OF 
PRIVATE BUSINESS OR ENTERPRISE.  HE PREDICTED FINAL 
RESOLUTION OF THIS ISSUE BEFORE THE 10TH PARTY CONGRESS 
IN 2006. 
 
CHALLENGES FOR THE FUTURE 
------------------------- 
 
11.  (C)  DR. QUAT SAID THAT ESSENTIAL TO THE CPV'S 
FUTURE WOULD BE THE CPV'S AND GVN'S ABILITY TO MAINTAIN 
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AT SUITABLE LEVELS.  THE COUNCIL 
IS SEEKING TO FRAME THE THEORETICAL UNDERPINNINGS UNDER 
MARXIST-LENINIST THOUGHT FOR THE ACHIEVEMENT OF AN 
INDUSTRIAL SOCIETY BY 2020 UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF THE 
CPV, HE ADDED.  THE OTHER MAIN CHALLENGE OVER THE NEXT 
FEW YEARS WILL BE THE CPV'S ABILITY SUCCESSFULLY TO 
COMBAT "BUREAUCRATICISM AND CORRUPTION."  WHILE 
STRESSING THAT ALL SOCIETIES AND SYSTEMS FACE SUCH 
PROBLEMS, HE ADMITTED THAT IF THE CPV FAILS AT THIS 
TASK -- OR IS PERCEIVED AS FAILING -- IT WOULD BE "VERY 
DANGEROUS" FOR THE CPV'S MONOPOLY ON POWER.  WHEN ASKED 
IF HE WAS "OPTIMISTIC" THAT THE CPV WOULD BE SUCCESSFUL 
IN THIS FIGHT, HE RESPONDED ONLY THAT "WE BELIEVE WE 
CAN SOLVE" THESE PROBLEMS.  HE POINTED TO RECENT 
REQUIREMENTS ON THE DECLARATION OF ASSETS BY OFFICIALS 
AS EVIDENCE OF THE CPV'S DETERMINATION, WHILE ADMITTING 
THAT CULTURAL PRACTICES AND LACK OF ADEQUATE 
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SUPERVISION MADE IT DIFFICULT TO ENSURE FULL 
DISCLOSURE.  DR. QUAT ALSO CLAIMED THAT 
"DEMOCRATIZATION" WOULD PLAY AN ESSENTIAL PART IN THIS 
STRUGGLE, AND THAT A LARGER ROLE FOR THE MEDIA IN 
INVESTIGATING SUCH PROBLEMS COULD BE VALUABLE. 
 
12.  (C)  COMMENT:  THE CPV'S IDEOLOGICAL ORGANS 
PROBABLY REMAIN AMONG THE LAST BASTIONS OF COMMUNIST 
CONSERVATISM, ALONG WITH ELEMENTS OF THE DEFENSE AND 
SECURITY HIERARCHY.  AS SUCH, THEY LIKELY ARE 
STRUGGLING TO RETAIN THEIR IDENTITY AND A USEFUL ROLE 
IN THIS RAPIDLY CHANGING SOCIETY, IN WHICH THE 
DIRECTIVES AND THEORETICAL DEBATES OF THE CPV ARE, OR 
MAY APPEAR TO BE, OF INCREASINGLY IRRELEVANCE TO THE 
LIVES OF MOST VIETNAMESE CITIZENS.  WITH MARKET FORCES 
REPLACING CPV DIKTATS AS THE BASIS FOR ECONOMIC 
DECISIONS, THE LEADERSHIP ROLE OF THE CPV IS 
NECESSARILY CIRCUMSCRIBED, EVEN THOUGH THE CPV, 
DIRECTLY OR THROUGH THE GVN, RETAINS CONSIDERABLE 
COERCIVE AND/OR PUNITIVE CAPACITIES.  FOR ALL THE 
PUBLICITY IN THE MEDIA GIVEN TO THE "THREATS" FROM 
 
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                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ9931 
 
PAGE 01        HANOI  00931  03 OF 03  160955Z 
ACTION EAP-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    ACQ-00   CIAE-00  DODE-00  DS-00    FBIE-00 
      VC-00    TEDE-00  INR-00   VCE-00   NSAE-00  DSCC-00  DRL-02 
      NFAT-00  SAS-00     /002W 
                  ------------------86CD2B  160955Z /38 
R 160912Z APR 02 
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 6196 
INFO AMEMBASSY BEIJING 
USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 03 OF 03 HANOI 000931 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV 
 
"HOSTILE FORCES" OR FROM "PEACEFUL EVOLUTION," IT IS 
NOTABLE THAT DR. QUAT DID NOT CITE SUCH ISSUES AS 
PRIORITY TASKS FOR 2002 OR FUTURE CHALLENGES FOR THE 
CPV.  THIS MAY INDICATE THAT EVEN THE CPV DOES NOT TAKE 
ITS OWN PROPAGANDA TOTALLY SERIOUSLY (OR THAT ITS 
IDEOLOGICAL LEADERS SEE NO POINT IN DISCUSSING DIRECTLY 
WITH A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE USG). 
BURGHARDT 
 
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