US embassy cable - 03HANOI301

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 000301 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, VM 
SUBJECT:  STRONG GVN REACTION TO VIRGINIA FLAG BILL 
 
REF: Hanoi 288 
 
1.  (SBU)  Senior Vice Foreign Minister (VFM) Nguyen Dinh 
Bin told Ambassador on Sunday, February 9 that the Virginia 
House of Delegates' Bill (HB 2829) on displaying the flag of 
the former Republic of Vietnam is a "wrongdoing that has 
upset the GVN, the National Assembly, and the people of 
Vietnam."  Passage by the Virginia State Senate would "set a 
very dangerous precedent" and "jeopardize the bilateral 
relationship," he claimed.  VFM Bin also noted that mass 
organizations, such as the Vietnam-U.S. Friendship Society, 
are "mobilizing" against the bill. (Note:  As of February 
10, that Society, the Veterans Association, and the Vietnam 
Fatherland Front have already issued well-publicized 
denunciations of the bill.  End note) 
 
2.  (SBU)  VFM Bin, expanding on Assistant Foreign Minister 
Nguyen Duc Hung's remarks at a meeting with Charge on 
February 6 (reftel), said that the GVN's senior leadership 
was following the matter with "great concern."  VFM Bin said 
that the GVN "appreciated" Deputy Secretary Armitage's 
recent letter to the Virginia legislative officials opposing 
the bill, viewing it as a "positive step." 
 
3.  (SBU)  VFM Binh added that due to the "seriousness and 
urgency" of the matter, the GVN requested that the 
Ambassador relay to Washington the "feelings and concern of 
the GVN and the Vietnamese people." 
 
4.  (SBU)  The Ambassador told Bin that he would relay the 
GVN's concerns, which are already "well-known in 
Washington."  He reminded VFM Bin that the Virginia Senate 
had not passed the bill.  The Ambassador explained to Bin 
that, under the federal system, states have considerable 
autonomy.  However, if states venture into the foreign 
policy arena, the federal government can and does challenge 
them in court. 
 
5.  (SBU)  The Ambassador cautioned VFM Bin against 
overreaction to the bill, noting that a strong GVN reaction 
could have the unintended effect of encouraging similar 
legislation in other states with large Vietnamese-American 
populations, such as Texas and California.  He noted that 
legislation perceived as anti-GVN is usually brought forward 
by legislators representing constituencies with large 
Vietnamese-American populations.  The Ambassador urged 
restraint, noting that the best long-term solution is for 
the GVN to develop a more creative strategy for 
reconciliation with the overseas Vietnamese community, many 
of whom feel alienated from the GVN.  The Ambassador 
affirmed that on his trips back to Washington, he meets with 
Vietnamese-American groups in northern Virginia and 
elsewhere, explains that there have been many changes in 
Vietnam, and encourages them to visit.  In those efforts, 
the Ambassador commented, "I am doing your job" and he 
observed very little similar effort by the GVN embassy to 
seek understanding with overseas Vietnamese communities. 
The Ambassador also noted that suggestions we have made for 
improving ties with the Vietnamese community in the U.S. 
have been ignored, such as allowing family members access to 
the Army of the Republic of Vietnam cemetery in Bien Hoa. 
"If you defile the graves of peoples' ancestors, don't be 
surprised if the descendants are still hostile," he noted. 
Summing up the history of the GVN's failure to pursue a 
policy of "reconciliation and concord," the Ambassador said 
that it is now "reaping what it had sown." 
 
6.  (SBU)  In response, VFM Bin said that he "understood 
well" the US legal system, but affirmed that it is important 
to deal with this "emerging" problem in "all its aspects." 
If the US Administration explained all the "negative 
implications" of this bill to the Virginia legislature, the 
bill would probably not pass, he claimed.  He denied that 
the GVN was overreacting, noting that the bill, if passed, 
would "hurt the most sacred feelings of the Vietnamese 
people." 
 
7.  (SBU)  Concerning reconciliation, VFM Bin (the MFA 
official directly responsible for liaison with the overseas 
Vietnamese community) said that GVN policy in this area 
reflected the "tolerance of the Vietnamese people."  Despite 
the fact that "many overseas Vietnamese have tried to harm 
us in the past, we allow them to return to their country.  I 
do not think that there is any other country as tolerant as 
Vietnam," Bin claimed. 
 
8.  (U)   Separately, the MFA spokeswoman on February 7 said 
that "Vietnam vehemently demands that the Government and 
Congress of Virginia State take immediate measures to revoke 
such a wrongful bill."  Her remarks were widely reported by 
the state media. 
BURGHARDT