Cablegate: Ero Protests Ambassador's Remarks

VZCZCXRO1798
PP RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHNH
DE RUEHHM #1145 2790725
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 060725Z OCT 06
FM AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1573
INFO RUEHHI/AMEMBASSY HANOI PRIORITY 1116
RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE
RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY 1660

UNCLAS HO CHI MINH CITY 001145

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL VM
SUBJECT: ERO PROTESTS AMBASSADOR'S REMARKS

REF: HCMC 1090 AND PREVIOUS

1. (SBU) On October 6, the Deputy Chief of the Consular Section
of the HCMC External Relations Office -- one of our most
reliable contacts in the office - called in PolOff to protest
the Ambassador's interview with Radio Free Asia on October 2.
He told us that the GVN is "upset" that the Ambassador in his
remarks had singled out the dissident "8406 Bloc" for support
and reportedly called the group "brave." The GVN considers the
8406 bloc to be "dangerous and a source of instability" in
Vietnam, the ERO official said.

2. (SBU) The ERO official said he did not know if the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs (MFA) similarly convoked the Embassy. His
instructions came directly from the Director of the HCMC ERO.
(Note: Embassy Hanoi has not received any similar summons. End
Note.)

3. (SBU) PolOff responded that we would need to verify the exact
content of the Ambassador's statement, but the statement as read
by the ERO is consistent with the longstanding U.S. position on
human rights. For example, in his speech on U.S.-Vietnam
relations in HCMC on September 20, the Ambassador noted the
"need to give greater space to Vietnamese citizens to come
together to express their ideas, promote political
accountability and thus deepen public trust." The Ambassador,
Consul General and other U.S. officials also have discussed
these issues repeatedly and candidly in private with senior
government counterparts, explaining why we meet both with GVN
and Party officials, but also with dissenting voices in
Vietnamese society. The United States does not support a
particular group, but firmly believes that all groups and
individuals should have the right to peacefully express their
views, on politics and all other issues. The United States
believes that the free exchange of ideas is a net plus for a
society's development and overall stability.

4. (SBU) Comment: It is highly unusual for the ERO to call in
the Consulate, in particular on a government to government issue
and such demarches have always paralleled or followed action in
Hanoi. The ERO Director may believes that a local jab at the
Americans would burnish his Party credentials. Alternatively,
since the 8406 Bloc's leadership is based in Hue and HCMC, it is
possible that the ERO is signaling to us that pressure on this
dissident group will intensify further in coming days. Per
reftel reporting, three 8406 Bloc members currently are in
police custody and a number of others have been in and out of
detention over the past few months. End Comment.

WINNICK

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