Cablegate: New Secretary General of Central Fatherland

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

220922Z Jul 02

2002HOCHI00728 - UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED PTO0652

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ACTION EAP-00

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 DINT-00 DOTE-00 SRPP-00
DS-00 EB-00 FAAE-00 FBIE-00 UTED-00 VC-00 H-01
TEDE-00 INR-00 LAB-01 L-00 VCE-00 AC-01 NSAE-00
OMB-01 OPIC-01 PA-00 PM-00 PRS-00 ACE-00 P-00
SP-00 TEST-00 TRSE-00 USIE-00 PMB-00 DSCC-00 DRL-02
G-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /007W
------------------CE6548 221034Z /38
FM AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6540
INFO AMEMBASSY HANOI PRIORITY
DIA WASHDC
NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS HO CHI MINH CITY 000728

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/BCLTV AND EAP/PD/KFOSTER
DEPARTMENT ALSO FOR INR/EAP/SEA AND INR/IL/B

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PINR VM
SUBJECT: NEW SECRETARY GENERAL OF CENTRAL FATHERLAND
FRONT COMMITTEE

REF: A. HCMC 0562(01) B. HCMC 0224(01)

1. ON JULY 2, MR. HUYNH DAM, FORMER CHAIRMAN OF THE
UNCLASSIFIED

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HCMC PEOPLE'S COUNCIL AND DEPUTY SECRETARY OF THE HCMC
COMMUNIST PARTY COMMITTEE, TOOK OFFICE AS THE NEW
SECRETARY GENERAL OF VIETNAM'S CENTRAL FATHERLAND FRONT

SIPDIS
COMMITTEE, FOLLOWING THE RETIREMENT OF FORMER SECRETARY
GENERAL TRAN VAN DANG.

2. HUYNH DAM, WHO TURNED 53 IN DECEMBER 2001, WAS BORN
IN CA MAU, VIETNAM'S SOUTHERNMOST PROVINCE, AND HOLDS
THREE BA DEGREES - IN ECONOMICS, LAW, AND POLITICS.
DAM FIRST BECAME A MEMBER OF THE HCMC PARTY COMMITTEE
IN 1995. IN JANUARY 1998, HE BECAME THE CHAIRMAN OF
THE HCMC PEOPLE'S COUNCIL. HE WON ELECTION TO THE
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY THE SAME YEAR. IN FEBRUARY 2000, DAM
REPLACED TRUONG TAN SANG AS HEAD OF THE HCMC NATIONAL
ASSEMBLY DELEGATION. SINCE 1998, DAM'S PHOTOGRAPH HAS
APPEARED REGULARLY ON THE FRONT PAGE OF HCMC
NEWSPAPERS. WHEN THE POSITION OF CHAIRMAN OF THE HCMC
PEOPLE'S COMMITTEE BECAME VACANT IN MAY 2001, POST
REPORTED THAT DAM ONE OF THE FRONT-RUNNERS (SEE
REFTELS). THE JOB ULTIMATELY WENT TO THE INCUMBENT
FIRST VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE PEOPLE'S COMMITTEE.

3. IN MEETINGS WITH CONGENOFFS, DAM HAS GIVEN THE
IMPRESSION OF BEING A MODERATE. HE SUPPORTS PRIVATE
SECTOR GROWTH AS NECESSARY TO A MODERN SOCIETY, BUT
MAINTAINS THAT REGULATING PRIVATE SECTOR GROWTH AND
CREATING A STABLE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH TO DO BUSINESS
ARE LEGITIMATE ROLES FOR THE GOVERNMENT. IN HIS NEW
POSITION, DAM WILL WORK TO STRENGTHEN THE PARTY'S
GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS - THE WOMEN'S UNION, FARMERS'
ASSOCIATION, YOUTH UNION, AND LABOR UNION ALL FALL
UNCLASSIFIED

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UNDER THE FATHERLAND FRONT UMBRELLA. AS BOTH THE
RECIPIENT AGENCY FOR CITIZENS' COMPLAINTS AND A
SUPERVISORY BODY FOR OTHER STATE AND PARTY AGENCIES,
THE FATHERLAND FRONT ALSO PLAYS A PIVOTAL ROLE IN THE
FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION.
YAMAUCHI

UNCLASSIFIED

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