Cablegate: Discussing Terrorism in Northeastern Vietnam

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

2001HANOI03308 - UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED PTQ3916

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INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AID-00 AMAD-00 A-00 ACQ-00 CA-01
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DOTE-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 EB-00 FAAE-00 FBIE-00 UTED-00
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FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 5069
INFO AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY
USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI

UNCLAS HANOI 003308

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV AND EAP/PD

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER PREL KPAO OIIP VM CWG PD CTERR
SUBJECT: DISCUSSING TERRORISM IN NORTHEASTERN VIETNAM

REF: A. HANOI 3282 B. HANOI 3201 C. HANOI 2885

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1. DURING OFFICIAL TRAVEL IN TWO NORTHEASTERN PROVINCES --
HAI DUONG AND QUANG NINH -- DECEMBER 18-19 (SEPTEL), POL/C
DISTRIBUTED PAS-PRODUCED "RESPONSE TO TERROR" AND "NETWORK
OF TERROR" (AS WELL AS OTHER PAS MATERIALS ABOUT THE U.S.),
EXPRESSED APPRECIATION FOR GVN COOPERATION AGAINST
TERRORISM, AND HIGHLIGHTED THE IMPORTANCE OF FURTHER
STRENGTHENING INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS IN THE ONGOING CAMPAIGN
AGAINST TERRORISM. VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE HAI DUONG
PROVINCIAL PEOPLE'S COMMITTEE BUI VAN XUYEN EXPRESSED
APPRECIATION FOR THE MATERIALS AND REITERATED VIETNAM'S
OPPOSITION TO TERRORISM AND SUPPORT FOR EFFORTS TO COMBAT
IT. HE STRESSED THAT "EVERYONE IN THE WORLD" MUST COOPERATE
AGAINST TERRORISM AND THAT, IF "TERRORIST GROUPS CONTINUE TO
OPERATE, THERE WILL NEVER BE PEACE." AT THE SAME TIME, HE
NOTED THE CONCERN OF THE VIETNAMESE PEOPLE OVER POTENTIAL
COLLATERAL DAMAGE OR INJURY TO INNOCENT CIVILIANS.

2. VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE QUANG NINH PROVINCIAL PEOPLE'S
COMMITTEE NGUYEN VAN MIEN CONDEMNED INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM
IN STRONG TERMS, WHILE CALLING FOR THE INTERNATIONAL
COMMUNITY TO RESPECT NATIONAL SOVEREIGNTY. HE EXPRESSED
CONCERN ABOUT THE POTENTIAL FOR USING THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST
TERRORISM TO ACHIEVE OTHER GOALS NOT DIRECTLY RELATED TO
COUNTER-TERRORISM, CITING THE SUFFERING OF VIETNAMESE
CIVILIANS IN WARTIME. POL/C EMPHASIZED THE CONCERTED
EFFORTS OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO MINIMIZE SUCH
DAMAGE OR INJURIES, AS WELL AS THE ONGOING EFFORTS TO
PROVIDED MUCH-NEEDED HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE.

3. BUI HUU THIEM, VICE CHAIRMAN OF MONG CAI TOWN ALONG THE
CHINESE BORDER, VIGOROUSLY EXPRESSED STRONG SUPPORT FOR THE
UNCLASSIFIED

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EFFORTS OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO COMBAT TERRORISM.
HE CLAIMED THAT MONG CAI RESIDENTS WERE SHARPLY AWARE OF THE
DANGERS OF INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM AS A RESULT OF EXTENSIVE
MEDIA COVERAGE AND CLAIMED THAT THEY "HATE BIN LADEN" AND
THE OTHERS IN HIS ORGANIZATION. HE NOTED THAT VIETNAM
PROVIDED NO SAFEHAVEN FOR TERRORISM AND PLEDGED THAT
"EVERYONE IS SAFE" HERE IN VIETNAM FROM THIS THREAT.

4. COMMENT: OFFICIAL INTERLOCUTORS IN THESE PROVINCES
APPEARED SOMEWHAT UNCERTAIN ABOUT THE EXTENT OF VIETNAM'S
COOPERATION WITH THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IN THE CAMPAIGN
AGAINST TERRORISM BUT CLEAR IN GENERAL TERMS ABOUT THE NEED
FOR INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION. THE CONCERN FOR CIVILIANS IS
A RECURRENT REFRAIN IN OFFICIAL GVN STATEMENTS AND REFLECTS
VIETNAM'S OWN SPECIAL HISTORY WITH BOMBING CAMPAIGNS. WHILE
EMBASSY HAS BEEN DISAPPOINTED WITH THE SOMETIMES UNBALANCED
COVERAGE BY THE VIETNAMESE MEDIA OF THE MILITARY CAMPAIGN
AGAINST AL-QAEDA AND THE TALIBAN, IT APPEARS THAT, EVEN IN
THE PROVINCES, VIETNAMESE ARE GETTING THE MESSAGE THAT THIS
CAMPAIGN IS JUST AND NECESSARY AND THAT THEY WELCOME
COOPERATION TOWARD THIS EFFORT. PAS-PRODUCED MATERIALS WILL
BE VALUABLE IN DEEPENING THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF THE CURRENT
SITUATION AND US-LED EFFORTS.
BURGHARDT

UNCLASSIFIED

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