US embassy cable - 02HOCHIMINHCITY728

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NEW SECRETARY GENERAL OF CENTRAL FATHERLAND FRONT COMMITTEE

Identifier: 02HOCHIMINHCITY728
Wikileaks: View 02HOCHIMINHCITY728 at Wikileaks.org
Origin: Consulate Ho Chi Minh City
Created: 2002-07-22 09:22:00
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Tags: PGOV PINR VM
Redacted: This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

220922Z Jul 02

2002HOCHI00728 - UNCLASSIFIED
 
 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTO0652

PAGE 01        HO CHI  00728  221034Z 
ACTION EAP-00   

INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    ACQ-00   CIAE-00  DINT-00  DOTE-00  SRPP-00  
      DS-00    EB-00    FAAE-00  FBIE-00  UTED-00  VC-00    H-01     
      TEDE-00  INR-00   LAB-01   L-00     VCE-00   AC-01    NSAE-00  
      OMB-01   OPIC-01  PA-00    PM-00    PRS-00   ACE-00   P-00     
      SP-00    TEST-00  TRSE-00  USIE-00  PMB-00   DSCC-00  DRL-02   
      G-00     NFAT-00  SAS-00     /007W
                  ------------------CE6548  221034Z /38    
FM AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6540
INFO AMEMBASSY HANOI PRIORITY 
DIA WASHDC
NSC WASHDC
UNCLAS HO CHI MINH CITY 000728 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/BCLTV AND EAP/PD/KFOSTER 
DEPARTMENT ALSO FOR INR/EAP/SEA AND INR/IL/B 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PINR, VM 
SUBJECT: NEW SECRETARY GENERAL OF CENTRAL FATHERLAND 
FRONT COMMITTEE 
 
REF:  A. HCMC 0562(01)  B. HCMC 0224(01) 
 
1.  ON JULY 2, MR. HUYNH DAM, FORMER CHAIRMAN OF THE 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        HO CHI  00728  221034Z 
HCMC PEOPLE'S COUNCIL AND DEPUTY SECRETARY OF THE HCMC 
COMMUNIST PARTY COMMITTEE, TOOK OFFICE AS THE NEW 
SECRETARY GENERAL OF VIETNAM'S CENTRAL FATHERLAND FRONT 
 
SIPDIS 
COMMITTEE, FOLLOWING THE RETIREMENT OF FORMER SECRETARY 
GENERAL TRAN VAN DANG. 
 
2.  HUYNH DAM, WHO TURNED 53 IN DECEMBER 2001, WAS BORN 
IN CA MAU, VIETNAM'S SOUTHERNMOST PROVINCE, AND HOLDS 
THREE BA DEGREES - IN ECONOMICS, LAW, AND POLITICS. 
DAM FIRST BECAME A MEMBER OF THE HCMC PARTY COMMITTEE 
IN 1995.  IN JANUARY 1998, HE BECAME THE CHAIRMAN OF 
THE HCMC PEOPLE'S COUNCIL.  HE WON ELECTION TO THE 
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY THE SAME YEAR.  IN FEBRUARY 2000, DAM 
REPLACED TRUONG TAN SANG AS HEAD OF THE HCMC NATIONAL 
ASSEMBLY DELEGATION.  SINCE 1998, DAM'S PHOTOGRAPH HAS 
APPEARED REGULARLY ON THE FRONT PAGE OF HCMC 
NEWSPAPERS.  WHEN THE POSITION OF CHAIRMAN OF THE HCMC 
PEOPLE'S COMMITTEE BECAME VACANT IN MAY 2001, POST 
REPORTED THAT DAM ONE OF THE FRONT-RUNNERS (SEE 
REFTELS).  THE JOB ULTIMATELY WENT TO THE INCUMBENT 
FIRST VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE PEOPLE'S COMMITTEE. 
 
3.  IN MEETINGS WITH CONGENOFFS, DAM HAS GIVEN THE 
IMPRESSION OF BEING A MODERATE.  HE SUPPORTS PRIVATE 
SECTOR GROWTH AS NECESSARY TO A MODERN SOCIETY, BUT 
MAINTAINS THAT REGULATING PRIVATE SECTOR GROWTH AND 
CREATING A STABLE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH TO DO BUSINESS 
ARE LEGITIMATE ROLES FOR THE GOVERNMENT.  IN HIS NEW 
POSITION, DAM WILL WORK TO STRENGTHEN THE PARTY'S 
GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS - THE WOMEN'S UNION, FARMERS' 
ASSOCIATION, YOUTH UNION, AND LABOR UNION ALL FALL 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        HO CHI  00728  221034Z 
UNDER THE FATHERLAND FRONT UMBRELLA.  AS BOTH THE 
RECIPIENT AGENCY FOR CITIZENS' COMPLAINTS AND A 
SUPERVISORY BODY FOR OTHER STATE AND PARTY AGENCIES, 
THE FATHERLAND FRONT ALSO PLAYS A PIVOTAL ROLE IN THE 
FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION. 
YAMAUCHI 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 


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