US embassy cable - 03HANOI1933

UNCLAS HANOI 001933 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV AND DRL 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, PREL, VM, HUMANR 
SUBJECT:  MFA SUGGESTS NEXT ROUND OF HR DIALOGUE 
 
1.  (U)  In a meeting with A/DCM on July 30, MFA 
International Organization Department Acting Director Pham 
Binh Minh formally proposed that Vietnam host the next round 
of US-Vietnam Human Rights Dialogue, preferably in late 
August 2003.  He suggested that Vietnam would be ready to up 
the level of leadership to the Vice Ministerial level, 
although he was unsure who would lead on the Vietnamese 
side.  (He opined that VFM Le Van Bang might be the relevant 
GVN official.)  He said that he was unsure who the U.S. 
equivalent might be, but suggested an Undersecretary. 
 
2.  (U)  A/DCM cited Secretary Powell's recent letter to FM 
Nien as describing growing concern over human rights 
development in Vietnam and doubt over the efficacy of 
dialogue.  He noted in particular that heavy prison 
sentences since the 2002 dialogue on peaceful Vietnamese 
activists, most recently Pham Hong Son, had been especially 
disappointing and worrisome, as indicative of a negative 
trend.  He urged Vietnam to take steps immediately to 
improve the climate for dialogue, such as releasing peaceful 
activists, providing more access to prisons and to court 
proceedings, and becoming more transparent.  He expressed 
appreciation for MFA IO's role in providing updates on some 
prisoners of concern, and noted that some of this news dated 
back several years; it would have been even more helpful to 
receive updates at the time of the releases in several of 
the cases. 
 
3.   (U)  Acting Director Minh responded that it was up to 
the U.S. whether it wished to continue the dialogue or not; 
A/DCM noted that the USG sought constructive dialogue that 
led to an improvement in the human rights situation.  Minh 
reiterated Vietnam's own commitment to human rights 
dialogues, which it now conducts with the EU, Norway, and 
Australia and is seeking to expand further, as well as a 
desire to broaden and elevate participation.  He 
specifically expressed a willingness to welcome Ambassador- 
at-large for Religious Freedom Hanford to visit Vietnam in 
the near future.  Responding to a question, he said that the 
MFA had no plans at present to host a political dialogue. 
 
4.  (SBU) Comment and action request:  The GVN seems to be 
blocking out all of the cautionary but forceful messages on 
human rights we have been sending since the last dialogue. 
The MFA in particular seems to view dialogue for dialogue's 
sake as a goal in and of itself.  In responding, it might be 
advisable to provide a short list of near-term actions -- 
short of releases of the most prominent activists, which we 
cannot realistically expect soon -- the GVN could 
conceivably undertake that would warrant continuation of the 
dialogue, even at the same or lower level as in previous 
years.  These could include, inter alia: 
--  access by emboffs to notable prisoners of concern such 
as Father Nguyen Van Ly, Pham Hong Son, Le Chi Quang, and 
Nguyen Khac Toan; 
--  access by emboffs to a type "A" Prison (for prisoners 
serving over 20 year sentences; 
--  access by emboffs, congenoffs, and international 
journalists to upcoming trials of activists such as Tran Van 
Que, Pham Van Duong, and Nguyen Dan Que; 
--  MFA/MPS comments on previous human rights report and 
international religious freedom report for corrections, 
inaccuracies, etc.; 
--  host visit by Ambassador Hanford; and, 
--  invite Amnesty International and/or Human Rights Watch 
on a fact-finding tour. 
Please advise. 
BURGHARDT