VZCZCXRO9579
PP RUEHHM
DE RUEHHI #0417 1020819
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 110819Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7587
INFO RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH 4564
UNCLAS HANOI 000417
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/MLS AND CA/OCS/ACS/EAP
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PREL CASC VM NGUYEN QUAN QUOC
SUBJECT: GVN REQUESTS THAT USG TREAT NGUYEN QUOC QUAN
CASE "QUIETLY" TO FACILITATE POSITIVE OUTCOME
Ref: Hanoi 395
1. (SBU) Summary: A senior MFA official predicts that imprisoned
AMCIT Nguyen Quoc Quan will soon be tried, after which his wife will
be able to visit him in prison. He further implied that Nguyen Quoc
Quan would then be released, but warned that this could not be seen
to occur "under U.S. pressure." The MFA official called for U.S.
restraint in demanding a release. End Summary.
2.(SBU) In an April 10 meeting, Americas Department Director General
Nguyen Ba Hung told the DCM that the MFA is "fully engaged" on the
case of imprisoned Amcit activist Nguyen Quoc Quan (NQQ). Ba Hung
said that he had spoken with relevant officials the previous day
about a date for the trial, but been told that there are "technical
issues" that must be resolved before a trial can be held. These, he
implied, are related to strong objections to releasing NQQ among
certain Party and security officials. Quan's case would nonetheless
be brought to court "soon," Ba Hung said, and immediately after the
trial Quan's wife would be allowed to visit him in jail.
3. (SBU) Ba Hung noted that the GVN had recently deported three of
NQQ's fellow Viet Tan members who attempted to visit Quan in jail
(reftel) and asked that the USG recognize this as a goodwill
gesture. Viet Tan is committed to the overthrow of the current
regime, making it to the GVN "what Al Qaeda is to the USG," Ba Hung
said. Viet Tan sent its members to Vietnam with the explicit
purpose of challenging the GVN publicly, he continued, putting Hanoi
in a quandary. In this case, deportation, even if it encourages
more Viet Tan members to come, was determined to be the lesser of
two evils.
4. (SBU) Ba Hung confirmed that the GVN is seeking a "positive
resolution" of Quan's case, but cannot be seen to be acting under
U.S. pressure. He "strongly requested" that the USG refrain from
making public "demands" for his release; this is particularly
important, he stressed, given that Quan's violations of Vietnamese
law were so clear. (Note: Quan was arrested when traveling under a
false identity as a Cambodian national. End note.) USG cooperation
in this regard is "critical" to resolving Quan's case, Ba Hung said.
Ba Hung said that if Congress presses the GVN to release Quan, it
will be taken to mean that the USG leadership supports Viet Tan and
Viet Tan will in turn believe that if they are arrested in Vietnam
the USG will get them out.
5. (SBU) The DCM responded that there will indeed continue to be
"noise" on the Quan case; Members of Congress are upset and will
continue to speak out. Ba Hung replied that Congressional action on
this case would mean Quan would remain imprisoned "forever."
MICHALAK