US embassy cable - 05HOCHIMINHCITY383

UNCLAS HO CHI MINH CITY 000383 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
/ / / / / / /C O R R E C T E D  C O P Y/ / / / / / / 
ADDED ADD'L COMMENT IN PARA 6. 
/ / / / / / /C O R R E C T E D  C O P Y/ / / / / / 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PINR, SOCI, KIRF, PHUM, VM, HUMANR, HIV/AIDS, RELFREE 
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH HCMC DEPUTY PARTY SECRETARY 
 
1. (SBU) The Ambassador, accompanied the CG, PolOff and notetaker, 
met HCMC Deputy Party Secretary Le Hoang Quan at HCMC's Communist 
Party Headquarters on March 30.  The Ambassador, noting the 
ongoing port call of the USS Gary to HCMC, said that he believed 
that the U.S.-Vietnam relationship had improved significantly in 
the 10 years since normalization.  Quan agreed, saying that the 
overall climate in bilateral relations was positive, despite the 
fact that many Vietnamese believe that the U.S. must help address 
lingering war legacy issues. (Comment:  a reference to the GVN's 
ongoing Agent Orange campaign.  End Comment.)  QuQn agreed with 
the Ambassador that one important strength of our relationship was 
that the two sides increasingly are able to talk frankly with each 
other and to find ways to narrow areas of dispute.  Quan said that 
the HCMC Party Committee welcomed dialogue, not just with the 
Ambassador and the Consul General, but also with working-level 
officers of the Consulate. 
2. (SBU) Quan confirmed that HCMC would hold its provincial Party 
Congress in November 2005.  The Party's organizational and policy 
deliberations are underway.  Quan anticipated that the HCMC Party 
Congress would focus on strengthening and extending economic 
reform and on ways to hasten infrastructure development.  While 
the city has averaged 11 percent GDP growth since 2001, Quan said 
the city wants to do better.  In the Party's view, HCMC must 
improve public administration and provide a better legal framework 
for both foreign and domestic investors to operate more freely. 
The Party also will focus on methods to tackle pressing urban 
development issues such as mass transit.  Quan noted that while 
technically the HCMC delegation has the same status as any other 
provincial delegation attending the 10th Party Congress, in 
practice, HCMC's position a major economic and social center would 
give its proposals added weight. 
 
3. (SBU) The Ambassador stressed that the overseas Vietnamese 
community can play a vital role in spurring HCMC's economic growth 
and offered his assistance in building bridges between the Viet 
Kieu community in the U.S. and Vietnamese authorities.  The 
Ambassador told Quan that, during a recent visit to San Francisco, 
he met with the Vietnam- America NGO Network, an organization that 
represented American Vietnamese interested in providing assistance 
to Vietnam.  Quan said that the GVN recognizes the value of the 
Viet Kieu to the Vietnam's economy and society and it's clear 
policy is to facilitate their return both to visit and do 
business.  He acknowledged that the GVN still must work hard to 
overcome opposition from some within the Viet Kieu community. 
However, while the GVN would continue to welcome the overseas 
Vietnamese, he warned that it will, "not tolerate those who take 
advantage of this situation to cause problems for us". 
 
4. (SBU) The Ambassador told Quan that he applauded the efforts of 
HCMC to combat HIV/AIDS.  He emphasized that the United States was 
committed to assist HCMC -- and Vietnam writ large -- in its fight 
against the disease.  The Ambassador applauded HCMC's efforts to 
enlist the support of faith-based groups in this effort.  He 
observed that all Vietnamese, particularly those in government, 
needed to be more proactive in fighting the stigma and 
discrimination of HIV/AIDS victims.  Quan emphasized that with its 
very large drug addict population, HCMC was on the front lines of 
the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Vietnam and expressed his gratitude for 
the USG financial and technical support. 
 
5. (SBU) The Ambassador observed that the U.S. and Vietnam had 
made progress in resolving some differences over religious freedom 
and human rights issues.  New policies and legislation had 
expanded opportunities for religious practice, particularly in 
areas such as HCMC.  However, elsewhere, problems remained more 
serious and required continued GVN and Party attention.  The 
Ambassador stressed that all Vietnamese should be extended the 
opportunity to worship as they please, including the leaders of 
the United Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV).   Quan emphasized 
that the GVN is committed to the spiritual well being of its 
citizens, and cited as an example increase in the number of 
churches and other places of worship in Vietnam since 1975.  With 
regard to the UBCV, Quan said that the GVN recognized only the 
Vietnam Buddhist Sangha as the legal representative of Buddhists 
in Vietnam. 
 
6. (SBU) Bio Note:  This was Quan's first official meeting with a 
USG representative since he was elevated to HCMC Deputy Party 
Secretary four months ago.  Although not as confident as his 
 
SIPDIS 
mentor, HCMC Party Secretary Nguyen Minh Triet, he was friendly, 
engaging and well briefed.  In his early fifties, Quan does not 
dye his full head of gray hair, unusual behavior for a 
Vietnamese official.  End Bio Note. 
 
WINNICK 
 
 
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