US embassy cable - 03HANOI619

UNCLAS HANOI 000619 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV, DRL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, SOCI, PGOV, VM, HUMANR 
SUBJECT:  GVN CONCERNED OVER VIETNAM HUMAN RIGHTS ACT 
 
 
1.  (U)  In a meeting with Charge on March 13, Assistant 
Foreign Minister Nguyen Duc Hung, concurrently Director of 
the MFA's America's Department, expressed concern that the 
Vietnam Human Rights Act (VHRA) will be reintroduced in the 
U.S. House of Representatives.  Such legislation is "not in 
the interests of either the U.S. or Vietnam and will harm 
the bilateral relationship," Hung stated.  "No one wants a 
repeat of what happened in 2001," he claimed.  Hung also 
predicted that the legislation would lead to "strong 
reactions from the media and the Vietnamese people." 
 
2.  (U)  Hung told the Charge that, while the GVN 
understands that this bill represents only a "small minority 
view," it is "counterproductive."  He asked that the Charge 
inform Washington how seriously this bill, if introduced, 
will be viewed in Vietnam.  He urged that the Department 
work against the VHRA reintroduction to avoid a "strong 
reaction" in Vietnam.  In contrast, Hung pointed to the 
success of last week's Asia Society conference and how it 
had "done much" to advance "mutual understanding," 
especially with the US business community. 
 
3.  (U)  Charge told Hung that he would pass the GVN's 
concern to Washington.  He urged Hung to encourage the GVN 
embassy in Washington to increase its outreach efforts to 
the Vietnamese community and others in the U.S.    PORTER