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26003cdiv\u003eWashington Updates 2005-2006\u003c\/div\u003e","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":null},"subTitle":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":null},"backgroundImage":{"type":"Blog.BackgroundImage","id":null,"link_url":null,"thumb_url":null,"url":"\/\/assets.strikingly.com\/static\/backgrounds\/blur\/8.jpg","original_url":"","image_type":null,"caption":"","description":"","new_target":true,"opacity":null,"style":"cover","color":null,"selectedClassName":"strikingly-light-text","backgroundVariation":"","videoUrl":"","videoHtml":"","textStyles":[{"type":"TextStyle","id":null,"displayName":"Light Text","colorCode":null,"className":"strikingly-light-text"},{"type":"TextStyle","id":null,"displayName":"Dark Text","colorCode":null,"className":"strikingly-dark-text"}],"linkInputEnabled":false,"descriptionInputEnabled":false}},"footer":{"type":"Blog.Footer","id":null,"comment":{"type":"Blog.Comment","id":null,"shortName":""},"shareButtons":{"type":"Blog.ShareButtons","id":null,"button_list":[{"type":"Facebook","id":null,"url":"","link_url":"","share_text":"","app_id":null,"show_button":true},{"type":"Twitter","id":null,"url":"","link_url":"","share_text":"","show_button":true},{"type":"GPlus","id":null,"url":"","link_url":"","share_text":"","show_button":true},{"type":"LinkedIn","id":null,"url":"","link_url":"","share_text":"","show_button":false}]},"subscription":{"type":"Blog.Subscription","id":null,"value":""}},"sections":[{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Title","id":null,"value":"\u003cdiv\u003eWashington Update May 2006\u003c\/div\u003e","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"heading"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cem\u003eDown to the wire: the final round of US-Vietnam WTO negotiations end successfully but time is tight for the US Congress to grant Permanent Normal Trade Relations, which will enable Vietnam to enter the WTO this year. However, business groups; NGO\u2019s; diplomats from both countries; and Congress itself are moving rapidly toward the PNTR debate and vote. Meanwhile, legislative relief in the form of trade preferences for Cambodia, Laos and other Asian-Pacific LDC\u2019s looks increasingly unlikely as this Congress heads into the homestretch. Cambodia and the United States reach a watershed when they agree to launch a Peace Corps program in 2007. On another front, the plaintiffs\u2019 appeal in the lawsuit on behalf of Vietnamese victims of Agent Orange appears bogged down in the courts, with no hearing likely until late in the year. \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cem\u003e--Catharin Dalpino, Washington Representative\u003c\/em\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u00b7\u00a0 US and Vietnam Complete 12th and Final WTO Round\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"The May 14 announcement that the United States and Vietnam had reached agreement in principle on outstanding trade issues related to Vietnam\u2019s entry into the World Trade Organization, marked the finish of Hanoi\u2019s series of bilateral negotiations on WTO accession. Vietnam began bilateral rounds in 1995, and talks with the United States were the last to be completed.. The highlights of the final round, conducted in Washington May 9-13, were Vietnam\u2019s agreement to lower tariffs on US industrial and farm products and to remove non-tariff barriers to US services. Vietnam has also agreed to abolish subsidies for its export garment industry. The two countries expect to sign an agreement in June. This will most likely be accomplished when incoming US Trade Representative Sus
26an Schwab visits Hanoi that month for an APEC trade ministers\u2019 meeting. ","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"Vietnam must be given PNTR status because it is subject to the Jackson-Vanik Amendment in US trade law, which places tariffs and other restrictions on imports from some communist and former communist countries. By granting PNTR, Congress will essentially be terminating Vietnam\u2019s Jackson-Vanik status. Pressure is mounting on Congress to pass PNTR before the August recess, since Vietnam will request WTO entry in the second half of this year. Strictly speaking, Vietnam\u2019s accession to the WTO does not depend upon PNTR; rather, without PNTR the US would be denied access to Vietnamese markets comparable to other WTO members once Vietnam has joined the WTO. However, such a scenario would deliver a major economic blow to Vietnam, and so both Vietnamese and US policymakers view PNTR as necessary for Hanoi\u2019s entry into the WTO. ","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"Although Congress will not formally consider PNTR for Vietnam until an agreement is signed, a significant amount of groundwork is already underway. In mid- April Speaker of the US House of Representatives Dennis Hastert led a Congressional delegation to Vietnam and informally signaled his support for PNTR. Senator Max Baucus, the ranking member on the Senate Finance Committee, has also stated his support for PNTR in a statement released almost simultaneously with the US Trade Representative\u2019s announcement of the conclusion of talks on May 14. ","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"Despite these early and encouraging statements, PNTR is not automatically assured. In April the House Subcommittee on International Human Rights, chaired by Congressman Chris Smith, held hearings on human rights in Vietnam, which was tacitly understood to be a warning that Vietnam\u2019s Congressional critics may attempt to place conditions on a PNTR bill. As well, on May 3 the US Commission on International Religious Freedom called for renewal of Vietnam\u2019s designation as a Country of Particular Concern on religious freedom issues. ","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"The non-governmental community is also preparing for the PNTR debate. A US-Vietnam WTO Coalition, shepherded by the US-ASEAN Business Council has been established. For information, \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.usvtc.org\/coalition.asp\"\u003eclick here\u003c\/a\u003e. ","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"In addition, FRD is circulating a petition to Congress urging PNTR passage.\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.ipetitions.com\/petition\/vietnam_pntr\/\"\u003eView the PNTR petition\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u00b7\u00a0 Bill Gates Visits Vietnam\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"In April Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates made a two-day visit to Vietnam, with a two-pronged agenda: to assess the country\u2019s potential as an outsourcing center for information technology, and to urge officials to increase their efforts to stem software piracy. Gates met with Prime Minister Phan Van Khai and other high-ranking government officials, and spoke at the Hanoi University of Technology. His visit underscored the potential of Vietnam\u2019s IT sector, which the government estimates is growing at a rate of 30% per year. With its labor force increasing by 1 million people per year, Vietnam hopes one day to rival India as an IT outsourcing center.\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u
26003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u00b7\u00a0 Cambodia Survives Abolition of Textile Quotas But Outlook for US Trade Bill Grim\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"Statistics released by the International Monetary Fund indicate that Cambodia\u2019s GDP for 2005 was 12%, a gain over 2004. Since Cambodia\u2019s economic growth is still heavily dependent on its garment exports, this suggests that the damage to the Cambodian textile industry anticipated when quotas were abolished for WTO members in January 2005 is less than had been expected. There are several reasons for this: Cambodia\u2019s relatively low labor costs and relatively high labor standards, as well as US and European Union restrictions placed on Chinese textiles. ","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"However, this optimistic trend is likely to slow this year as competition for low-priced textiles increases and oil prices rise. Moreover, the outlook for continued economic stability in Cambodia, as well as in Laos and other Asian-Pacific least-developed countries, is dimmer as the Trade Act of 2005 \u2013 which would lower tariffs for Asian-Pacific LDC\u2019s similar to benefits granted to their economic counterparts in Africa, the Caribbean and Central America \u2013 seems to be in stalemate in Congress. If the Act is not passed by the end of the year it will lapse and would need to be revived by a new Congress in 2007.\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u00b7\u00a0 Peace Corps To Inaugurate First-Ever Program in Cambodia\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"On March 29 Peace Corps Director Gaddhi Vasquez and Meng Eang Nay, Deputy Chief of Mission for the Cambodian Embassy in Washington, announced that Peace Corps would establish its first program in Cambodia in early 2007. The first volunteers are likely to focus on English teaching and health education. Prior to their arrival, Peace Corps will establish an office in Phnom Penh and begin training staff. ","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"Discussions on a possible Peace Corps program are also in progress with Vietnam, and US observers believe a program in that country, as well as in Indonesia, could be launched in 2007.\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u00b7\u00a0 Hearing on Vietnam Agent Orange Suit Delayed in US Court\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"For the third time, the Second US Court of Appeals has set a new time frame for a hearing on the appeal of the lawsuit brought by the Vietnam Association for Victims of Agent Orange (VAVA) and other plaintiffs against Dow, Monsanto and other American manufacturers of the defoliants and herbicides used during the Vietnam war. The new parameter for a hearing is between August 5 and December 5 of this year, but no definite date as been set. Lawyers familiar with the Federal Court system note that delays of civil appeals hearings for procedural reasons are not unusual. ","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"Despite the lagging judicial process, awareness of the impact of Agent Orange in Vietnam has been growing in recent months. In March FRD co- sponsored the first international conference on the social, economic and psychological impact of Agent Orange, held in Hanoi. The conference was coordinated by the Center for Gender, Family and Environment in Development, a Vietnamese research organization. (\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.ffrd.org\/AO\/The%20Expectations.htm\"\u003eClick here for proceedings of the conference.\u003c\/a\u003e) ","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"Proceedings from a subsequent VAVA conference of persons from several countries who believe they are suffering from the effects of Agent Orange will also be available on the FRD website. ","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"US Secretary for Veterans Affairs Jim Nicholson was questioned vigorously by the international press on the US policy toward Vietnamese Agent Orange victims when he visited Vietnam in April. ","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"FRD has launched an on-line petition to President Bush urging he announce two practical steps to address this sensitive bilateral issue during his November visit to Vietnam.","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Title","id":null,"value":"\u
26003cdiv\u003eWashington Update March 2006\u003c\/div\u003e","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"heading"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003ci\u003eUS-Vietnam relations have shown clear momentum is recent weeks as WTO negotiations advance and the diplomatic dialogue on human rights resumes. One positive form of pressure on the relationship is the planned visit of President Bush to Hanoi in November, for the APEC Summit. In Cambodia, the War Crimes Tribunal is launched, thirty years after Khmer Rouge rule.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003ci\u003e--Catharin Dalpino, Washington Representative\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKhmer Rouge Tribunal Goes Into Gear\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp\u003eOn February 6 the UN tribunal for the Khmer Rouge was officially established, after five years of negotiation and a decade prior to that of advocacy by both government and private actors. Although a $10 million shortfall on the Cambodian side still hampers funding, reallocations are under discussion. A short list of candidates for judges and prosecutors has been compiled, and the international slate is expected to be announced this spring; a list of thirty potential jurists from the Cambodian judiciary is circulating. Some key tribunal personnel have been hired, including directors for security and public relations. A \u201cgroup of interested states\u201d is shepherding the process. US leadership on the tribunal has been distinctly lacking in recent years, but a policy review is reportedly underway.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/rs6.net\/tn.jsp?t=s7497tbab.0.y78g6tbab.gfa6ynbab.3293\u0026amp;p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ffrd.org%2FPolicy%2520Briefs%2FPolicyBrief1.htm\" title=\"http:\/\/rs6.net\/tn.jsp?t=s7497tbab.0.y78g6tbab.gfa6ynbab.3293\u0026amp;p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ffrd.org%2FPolicy%2520Briefs%2FPolicyBrief1.htm\"\u003ePolicy brief by Craig Etcheson\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHuman Rights Take Positive Turn in US-Vietnam Relations\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp\u003eIn February the United States and Vietnam resumed the governmental dialogue on human rights with a meeting in Hanoi. This marked the resumption of the dialogue after a three-year hiatus that had been initiated by the US. Barry Lowenkron, Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, praised a constructive approach on the Vietnamese side and noted, \u201cThese were not discussions of throwing accusations at each other.\u201d Lowenkron also pointed to improvements in religious freedom in Vietnam in recent months.\u003c\/p\u003e","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"These views were echoed and extended on March 16 when US Ambassador to Vietnam Michael Marine indicated that the US is \u201cexploring conditions under which CPC (the \u2019Country of Particular Concern\u2019 designation for religious freedom) could be lifted.\u201d Marine recently visited the Central Highlands, where the Christian ethnic minority tends to attract particular US attention. He noted that some previously banned churches had been allowed to open and that the number of allegations of forced renunciations had \u201cdropped precipitously.\u201d","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"The State Department\u2019s 2005 Human Rights Reports, released in March, contributed little new perspective one way or another. The reports marked no dramatic changes positively or negatively for Vietnam or Laos. It reported a worsening of rights in Cambodia, but that situation has changed with the release of human rights activists in January and the growing reconciliation between opposition leader Sam Rainsy and the government coalition.\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNew WTO Round for Vietnam To Open in Geneva\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u
26003cp\u003eIn late March the 11th multilateral round of negotiations on Vietnam\u2019s accession to the World Trade Organization will convene in Geneva. The substantive focus of the meeting will be on international treaties and state subsidies. On the margins, Vietnam expects to conclude bilateral negotiations with Mexico, Honduras and Dominica, with only a bilateral agreement with the United States outstanding. Vietnamese and US officials are planning a subsequent negotiation later in the spring, either in Geneva or Washington. Although the ultimate timing of the conclusion of US talks is still to be determined, American policymakers and legislators are looking ahead to the Congressional process of granting Permanent Normal Trade Relations status to Vietnam. If Hanoi is to enter the WTO this year, PNTR must be granted this summer or in the early fall. \u003c\/p\u003e","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003ci\u003eFRD is encouraging non-governmental organizations and educational institutions that have programs with Vietnam to support passage of PNTR in messages to Congress. For further information, contact Deputy Director Susan Hammond at [email protected]\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/rs6.net\/tn.jsp?t=s7497tbab.0.z78g6tbab.gfa6ynbab.3293\u0026amp;p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vnep.org.vn%2FWeb%2FDefault.aspx%3Flang%3Den-US\" title=\"http:\/\/rs6.net\/tn.jsp?t=s7497tbab.0.z78g6tbab.gfa6ynbab.3293\u0026amp;p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vnep.org.vn%2FWeb%2FDefault.aspx%3Flang%3Den-US\"\u003eCEIM opens Vietnam Economic Portal\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIntel Makes Substantive and Symbolic Commitment to Vietnam\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp\u003eIn February Vietnam approved a license to Intel Corp, the world\u2019s largest microchip manufacturer, to build a $605 million plant in Ho Chi Minh City\u2019s Saigon Hi- Tech Park. With the approval, Intel became Vietnam\u2019s first foreign investor in the field of high technology, and its entry is expected to draw other foreign companies in the field. Vietnam projects $2 billion worth of electronic product exports for 2006, up 40% from 2005 levels.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/rs6.net\/tn.jsp?t=s7497tbab.0.978g6tbab.gfa6ynbab.3293\u0026amp;p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.intel.com%2Fpressroom%2Farchive%2Freleases%2F20060228corp.htm\" title=\"http:\/\/rs6.net\/tn.jsp?t=s7497tbab.0.978g6tbab.gfa6ynbab.3293\u0026amp;p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.intel.com%2Fpressroom%2Farchive%2Freleases%2F20060228corp.htm\"\u003eIntel statement\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOverseas Remittances Up to Vietnam\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp\u003eAccording to the State Bank of Vietnam, remittances from overseas Vietnamese have surged in the past year, growing by 20-25%, and now total an estimated US $4 billion annually. This quantum leap is attributed to the collective impact of legal and structural reforms in recent years, such as the abolition of limits on overseas remittances; lifting taxes on these funds; and permits that enable overseas Vietnamese to purchase property in Vietnam. Accompanying the increase in funds is a dramatic jump in the number of foreign and domestic companies involved in processing remittances, from 40 last year to 100 this year..\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/rs6.net\/tn.jsp?t=s7497tbab.0.878g6tbab.gfa6ynbab.3293\u0026amp;p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.va-ngo.org%2Fvjmla%2F\" title=\"http:\/\/rs6.net\/tn.jsp?t=s7497tbab.0.878g6tbab.gfa6ynbab.3293\u0026amp;p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.va-ngo.org%2Fvjmla%2F\"\u003eVietnamese American NGOs web page\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUS-ASEAN Summit: Seven, Nine or Ten?\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u
26003cp\u003eIn an attempt to increase its involvement and profile with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the United States has proposed a US- ASEAN Summit in Hanoi in November, on the margins of the APEC Summit. Washington\u2019s exclusion from the inaugural meeting of the East Asia Summit in Kuala Lumpur in December raised warning flags with US policymakers, as did the China-ASEAN framework agreement for a free trade area. \u003c\/p\u003e","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"However, the US proposal presents problems, since only seven ASEAN members are also APEC members \u2013 a ten-year moratorium on new members was imposed in 1997, excluding Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. The ASEAN-7 framework would enable the US to avoid including Myanmar, which is under heavy US sanctions, but Washington has no desire to exclude Cambodia or Laos. Under discussion are several formulations: for an APEC-only meeting; for a summit with the ASEAN-9 (including Cambodia and Laos); and for a meeting with the full ASEAN membership. Observers rate the possibility of an ASEAN-7 or ASEAN-9 meeting equally, but hold out little chance for a summit with the ASEAN-10.\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBattlefields into Baseball Fields?\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp\u003eIn late January the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund and the Quang Tri Province People\u2019s Committee inaugurated a \u201cBringing Baseball of Vietnam\u201d program in the province, with a demonstration and baseball clinic led by Major League Baseball pitcher Danny Graves. Graves was born in Vietnam to a Vietnamese mother and American serviceman, and was returning to the country for the first time in 30 years. The two organizations\u2019 \u201cbaseball diplomacy\u201d initiative complements a mine action program, Project Renew, managed jointly by the Fund and the Quang Tri Province People\u2019s Committee. Prior to the clinic, Project Renew staff removed 13 different kinds of unexploded ordnance in clearing a baseball field.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/rs6.net\/tn.jsp?t=s7497tbab.0.578g6tbab.gfa6ynbab.3293\u0026amp;p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vvmf.org%2F\" title=\"http:\/\/rs6.net\/tn.jsp?t=s7497tbab.0.578g6tbab.gfa6ynbab.3293\u0026amp;p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vvmf.org%2F\"\u003eVietnam Veterans Memorial Fund\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLaos Makes Dramatic Gains in Opium Eradication\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp\u003eIn February the Lao government declared the country to be free of opium produced for commercial purposes, confirming what the United Nations has termed \u201cmomentous\u201d progress in opium eradication. In 1998 the UN listed Laos as the world\u2019s third- largest producer of heroin, which is derived from poppy production, with an estimated 27,000 hectares under cultivation. Since then, however, cultivation has been slashed by 93%, with the remaining 1800 hectares primarily in areas where opium is used in traditional medicines. This dramatic drop is attributed to multiple policies: destruction of poppy fields; pursuit of traffickers; education and treatment programs; and donor-supported crop substitution projects.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKorean Agent Orange Case: Pressure and Precedent for Chemical Companies?\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp\u003eOn January 26 a South Korean court ordered two American manufacturers of Agent Orange during the Vietnam War \u2013 Dow Chemical and Monsanto \u2013 to pay $62 million in compensation to 6,800 South Korean veterans of the war and their families. South Koreans contributed the largest number of allied troops to the war, sending 320,000. The court noted a \u201ccaus
26al connection\u201d between exposure to dioxin and eleven diseases, but did not recognize a connection to peripheral neuropathy, which medical scientists consider to be the most wide-spread disease of Agent Orange sufferers. Both sides are considering appeals: the chemical companies to overturn the compensation ruling, and the plaintiffs, to include peripheral neuropathy. \u003c\/p\u003e","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"The South Korean case has no formal connection to the ongoing class action suit against 30 American chemical manufacturers, brought by the Vietnamese Association of Victims of Agent Orange, but it will clearly place more public pressure on the companies. The US case is in the appeals process, and oral arguments are scheduled for April.\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003ePhoto of Agent Orange exposed father with his son taken by Don Edwards in A Luoi Valley.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/rs6.net\/tn.jsp?t=s7497tbab.0.od9w9rbab.gfa6ynbab.3293\u0026amp;p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ffrd.org%2Fagentorange.htm\" title=\"http:\/\/rs6.net\/tn.jsp?t=s7497tbab.0.od9w9rbab.gfa6ynbab.3293\u0026amp;p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ffrd.org%2Fagentorange.htm\"\u003eFRD Agent Orange pages\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDueling Conferences: JFK Library and U\/Mass Revisit the Vietnam War\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp\u003eIn March, a two-day conference on \u201cVietnam and the Presidency\u201d was organized in Boston at the John F. Kennedy Library, so-sponsored by all of the Presidential libraries \u2013 from Hoover to Clinton \u2013 and the Foundation for the National Archives. Panelists and speakers included former President Jimmy Carter; cabinet-level officials from the Vietnam era; as well as prominent journalists and scholars. \u003c\/p\u003e","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"In the lead-up to the conference, however, some Vietnam scholars and Vietnamese-Americans protested the omission on the podium of Vietnamese and others affected by the war in letters to the Kennedy Library, op eds and editorials on NPR. To fill this gap, the William Joiner Center for the Study of War and Social Consequences at the University of Massachusetts\/Boston organized an alternative conference entitled \u201cVietnam: Looking Forward, Looking Back\u201d for the same timeframe. Billed as a forum where \u201cthose who have experienced the consequences of Presidential decision-making may be heard,\u201d the conference included Vietnamese, veterans and anti-war activities. Session topics included the legacy of Agent Orange; Indochinese refugees; veterans\u2019 experiences; the draft; and the Vietnam War and minorities. ","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"The Kennedy Library conference was taped and subsequently broadcast by C-Span. Sessions can be viewed in streaming video from the C-SPAN on-line archives or by purchase from C-SPAN. The Joiner Center conference was not televised, but videotapes were made which can be obtained from the \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/rs6.net\/tn.jsp?t=s7497tbab.0.g68g6tbab.gfa6ynbab.3293\u0026amp;p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.joinercenter.umb.edu%2F\" title=\"http:\/\/rs6.net\/tn.jsp?t=s7497tbab.0.g68g6tbab.gfa6ynbab.3293\u0026amp;p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.joinercenter.umb.edu%2F\"\u003eCenter\u003c\/a\u003e . ","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"At the JFK Library conference, with respect to the specific legacy of Agent Orange, former Secretary of State Al Haig responded to a question with a strong statement of US moral responsibility to assist victims in Vietnam of unintended consequences of the use of Agent Orange. Former Ambassador Pete Peterson, replying to another question, told the audience that Agent Orange was a strongly-felt grass roots concern among Vietnamese that needed to be addressed by the US, initially by cleaning up hot spots.\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Title","id":null,"value":"\u
26003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWashington Indochina Update January 2006\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"heading"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cdiv\u003e~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003ein this issue\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e-- Vietnam Looks to 2006 for WTO Admission\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e-- American Airlines-Vietnam Air Forge Agreement\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e-- Nam Theun II Dam Underway\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e-- Post-NTR Workshop Stimulates US-Lao Trade\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e-- Vietnam Stays on CPC List, But Administration Hints at Removal\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e-- Congressman Smith Announces Linkage\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e-- Freedom House Rates Vietnamese Civil Rights Improved\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e-- Foreign Operations Conference Bill Silent on KR Tribunal\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e-- Bush Administration Removes Vietnam from Drug List\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e-- US and Vietnam Cooperate on Drug Arrests\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e-- Government and Vietnamese-American Groups Unite to Aid Hurricane Victims\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e-- Vietnamese Officials and Vietnamese American NGOs Conduct Historic Meeting\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e-- Agent Orange Lawsuit Goes to Appeal\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e-- Agent Orange Victims Tour US\u003c\/div\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e2005 was a dream deferred for Vietnam's quest to enter the World Trade Organization. The sticking point has been US approval, but both sides are tacitly preparing for a mid-2006 accession. In the meantime, the long-awaited launch of the Nam Theun II dam took place in Laos. The Khmer Rouge Tribunal still lacks crucial funding, but the prospects for a US contribution could be improving. \u003cbr\u003e-- Catharin Dalpino\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003eVietnam Looks to 2006 for WTO Admission\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn early December Hoang Van Dung, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry acknowledged that Vietnam did not expect to enter the World Trade Organization at the group's meeting in Hong Kong later in the month. Dung cited the complexities of the WTO's China experience, and pointed out that entrance rules have been much stiffer since Beijing's accession in 2001. In this context, the most challenging bilateral negotiations for Vietnam's WTO admission are those with the United States.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHowever, both sides are hopeful that talks can be concluded in early 2006 and Permanent Normal Trade Relations granted to Vietnam in the summer. In December, a seven-member delegation from the US Senate visited Vietnam, led by Senator Gordon Smith of Oregon. Meeting with Vietnamese President Tran Duc Luong and Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dzung, the delegation expressed support for the country's accession to WTO. They also remarked on Vietnam's continued economic growth, which reached 8.45% in 2005\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAmerican Airlines-Vietnam Air Forge Agreement\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAmerican Airlines, the largest airline carrier in the United States, has applied to the US Department of Transportation for approval to sign a cooperative agreement with Vietnam Air to sell seats on one another's international flights, and on selected domestic flights. This code-sharing arrangement will enable either airline to sell one ticket which enables a traveler to fly between the two countries over various routes. If approval is granted, the arrangement is expect to go into effect in early 2006.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u
26003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNam Theun II Dam Underway\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn November 17 LPDR Prime Minister Bounnhang Vorachit and Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra broke ground on the Nam Theun II dam, a $1.25 billion project that is expected to supply power to 17 Thai provinces. The dam - to be constructed by 4000 workers from 30 countries - is scheduled to be operational by 2009. Laos expects to reap revenues from the dam of approximately $150 million per year.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePost-NTR Workshop Stimulates US-Lao Trade\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn December the Fund for Reconciliation and Development organized a landmark three-day meeting, \"Laos-US Business Opportunities: Making NTR A Reality\" to help deepen and accelerate bilateral trade in the start-up period following the 2004 decision to grant Normal Trade Relations to Laos. Held in Vientiane, the workshop was co-sponsored by the Lao Ministry of Commerce and the Lao Chamber of Commerce, with support from the Rockefeller Foundation and a variety of American and Asian business councils. The 200 participants included 70 Laotian-Americans from eight states. Over 100 Lao businesses were represented, as were US businesses based in Laos and Thailand.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFollowing the formal meeting, participants had the opportunity to visit several provinces and meet with local officials and businesses. Beyond the inherent value of the exchanges, the meeting also explored several avenues for follow-up. Apart from the obvious boost to trade created by NTR, a slate of large-scale infrastru
26cture projects on mainland Southeast Asia that involve Laos will create opportunities for US business, in both equipment and expertise. Further information about the Vientiane workshop can be obtained from FRD Deputy Director Susan Hammond\u0026lt;[email protected]\u0026gt;.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/rs6.net\/tn.jsp?t=i84pyrbab.0.0.gfa6ynbab.0\u0026amp;p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ffrd.org%2Flaos.html\"\u003eClick here for a longer report on the workshop\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003eVietnam Stays on CPC List, But Administration Hints at Removal\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn November the State Department released the 7th annual Report on Religious Freedom, and announced the re-designation of eight countries as \"Countries of Particular Concern,\" one of which was Vietnam. However, in the press briefing that released the report, both Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom John Hanford noted that religious freedom conditions in Vietnam have improved noticeably, and that continued progress could lead to the designation's removal. The report's Vietnam chapter echoed this view and noted that significant progress had been made, but that legal improvements relating to Vietnam's religious environment are in the early stages of implementation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/rs6.net\/tn.jsp?t=i84pyrbab.0.0.gfa6ynbab.0\u0026amp;p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ffrd.org%2FReligious%2520Freedom.htm\"\u003eClick here for more on the religious freedom debate\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCongressman Smith Announces Linkage\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRepresentative Christopher Smith, Chair of the Global Human Rights Subcommittee of the House International Relations Committee visited Vietnam December 1-3, in part to meet with Vietnamese government and religious leaders to discuss human rights and religious freedom issues. Smith reported that he met with over 60 religious leaders of numerous faiths and noted improvements, such as the registration and re-opening of several churches, and an increase in faith-based charitable work. However, he remains critical of Vietnam's overall religious environment and supports its continued CPC designation. Moreover, in a statement released upon his return to Washington, Smith announced that he would seek to link Permanent Normal Trade Relations designation for Vietnam to human rights and religious freedom conditions when PNTR comes up for debate, presumably this summer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFreedom House Rates Vietnamese Civil Rights Improved\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe general impression in the US policy community of the strengthening of personal rights in Vietnam was reinforced by the Freedom House 2006 Survey, released on December 19. Although Freedom House maintained Vietnam's designation as a \"Not Free\" country, it indicated improvements in civil rights by moving the country from a \"6\" rating to a \"5.\" Ratings for Laos remained at previous levels, also with a \"Not Free\" ranking; Laos received a \"7\" for political rights and \"6\" for civil rights. Cambodia too was ranked \"Not Free,\" with a \"6\" for political rights and \"5\" for civil rights. Vietnam was one of the few Southeast Asian countries with an upward trend in the Freedom House rankings. The Philippines was downgraded from \"Free\" to \"Partly Free\" this year; in recent years, the FH ratings also noted backsliding in Thailand.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/rs6.net\/tn.jsp?t=i84pyrbab.0.0.gfa6ynbab.0\u0026amp;p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vietnamembassy-usa.org%2Fdocs%2FWhite-Paper-on-Human-Rights.pdf\"\u003eClick here for Viet Nam's White Paper on Human Rights\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003eForeign Operations Conference Bill Silent on KR Tribunal\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor the first time in two years the conference bill for the Foreign Operations Act, agreed upon by Congress in November, did not contain a prohibition against US funding for the Khmer Rouge Tribunal in Cambodia. Although obviously not an affirmative commitment of US funds, it appears to remove one obstacle for potential US support in Fiscal Year 2006, which ends on September 30. However, other measures are available to the legislature if opposition to funding the tribunal arises. Some observers think it likely that opposition would appear, especially after arrests of three Cambodian human rights activists for defamation in late December. Withholding US support for the tribunal has long been held as a sign of Congressional disapproval of Prime Minister Hun Sen.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/rs6.net\/tn.jsp?t=i84pyrbab.0.0.gfa6ynbab.0\u0026amp;p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ffrd.org%2FPolicy%2520Briefs%2FPolicyBriefs.htm\"\u003eClick here for Policy Brief on Khmer Rouge tribunal\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBush Administration Removes Vietnam from Drug List\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn September the Bush administration released its annual list of countries designated as major transit points or major sources of illicit drug production. Vietnam was removed from the list, as was China. The administration's designation noted, in the oblique language that often characterizes rankings, that there was \"insufficient evidence to refute claims from the Government of Vietnam of total poppy eradication.\" Laos remained on the list; the State Department's 2005 annual report on counter- narcotics strategy noted that drug control was gradually improving, but that c
26orruption was severe. Cambodia is not on the list, and the 2005 report indicated that counter-narcotics efforts had increased.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003eUS and Vietnam Cooperate on Drug Arrests\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn a separate and subsequent action, cooperation between the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security and the US Drug Enforcement Agency produced the first major group of arrests in pursuit of an international drug cartel. On November 17, the arrest of over 300 international drug gang members involved the work of US agents and an undercover Vietnamese police officer. The probe focused on a drug network that stretched from North America to Vietnam\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003eGovernment and Vietnamese-American Groups Unite to Aid Hurricane Victims\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePrior to the arrival of Hurricane Katrina in late August, Louisiana was home to more than 25,000 Vietnamese-Americans, while southern Mississippi had approximately 7,000 Asian-American residents, most of them Vietnamese. An estimated 10,000 Vietnamese-Americans from New Orleans were relocated to Houston. The Government of Vietnam responded to the tragedy with financial contributions, as did the Vietnam Red Cross. Vietnamese-American organizations rallied to provide material support, interpretation services and a variety of other forms of assistance. In December, a concert of popular singers from Vietnam, sponsored by the Embassy of Vietnam in Washington, donated a portion of the proceedings to help both the victims of Hurricane Katrina and victims of the typhoon in Vietnam that struck in late 2005.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003eVietnamese Officials and Vietnamese American NGOs Conduct Historic Meeting\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn November the first-ever formal meeting between Vietnamese government officials and representatives from Vietnamese-American philanthropic groups took place in northern California. Convened by the Pacific Links Foundation with support from the Ford, Gerbode and Asia Foundations, the conference brought together more than 130 Vietnamese-American groups that operate in Vietnam. In the course of the meeting, 24 NGO's formed the Vietnamese-American Non-Governmental Organization Network; as one activity, the Network agreed to identify one Vietnamese city to which all members would contribute programs next year. In response to criticism from hardline elements of the Vietnamese- American community who opposed meeting with Vietnamese government officials, conference organizers pointed out that such dialogues are the best means to encourage greater Vietnamese government transparency with the non-governmental community.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAgent Orange Lawsuit Goes to Appeal\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn September 30 lawyers for the Vietnam Association for the Victims of Agent Orange \/Dioxin (VAVA) and other plaintiffs appealed the decision rendered on their class action suit against 30 US chemical companies. In March 2005, all counts of the lawsuit were dismissed in the United States District Court. In early September a team of US lawyers visited Vietnam to meet with the plaintiffs. According to attorney Jonathan Moore, the appeal alleges that the District Court misconstrued the facts of the case, by focusing on the use of Agent Orange as a herbicide. Moore said, \"This herbicide was not simply a weed killer. It was a chemical laced with poisons that did not have to be there---and therefore we conclude that the chemical companies intentionally left that poison there.\" Oral arguments will take place in April at the Second Circuit Court of Appeals in New York.\u003c\/p\u003e","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u
26003ci\u003e[Photo by Don North of Agent Orange exposed father with his disabled son in A Luoi valley.]\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/rs6.net\/tn.jsp?t=i84pyrbab.0.0.gfa6ynbab.0\u0026amp;p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ffrd.org%2Fagentorange.htm\"\u003eClick here for FRD web pages on Agent Orange\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAgent Orange Victims Tour US\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn November a delegation of Vietnamese Agent Orange victims embarked upon a month-long speaking tour of the United States, to raise awareness of the continuing impact of Agent Orange, urge support for the class action lawsuit, and encourage financial contributions for victims. The group visited ten cities, including New York, Washington and San Francisco. The delegation included Professor Nguyen Trang Nhan, Vice President of the Vietnam Association for Victims of Agent Orange\/Dioxin (and former President of the Vietnam Red Cross); two Agent Orange victims: Ho Sy Hai from northern Thai Binh province and Dang Thi Hong Nhut from Ho Chi Minh City; and Vu Binh of the Vietnam-USA Society. The tour was facilitated by the Vietnam Agent Orange Relief and Responsibility Campaign. During the Washington leg, the group were hosted at a policy forum co-sponsored by FRD and the Asian Studies Program of Georgetown University.\u003c\/p\u003e","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Title","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWASHINGTON\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e INDOCHINA UPDATE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u00a0\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJuly-August, 2005\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"heading"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEarly July was dominated by celebrations of the tenth anniversary of the normalization of U.S.-Vietnamese relations.In the second half of the month, Congress pushed toward the August recess with a reappearance of the Vietnam Human Rights Act and lower foreign assistance appropriations for Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.In the meantime, new legal life has been breathed into the Agent Orange issue as plaintiffs prepare an appeal for the class action lawsuit dismissed earlier this year.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eDiplomacy\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHanoi\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e and Washington Celebrate Anniversary\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eThe tenth anniversary of the normalization of relations between the United States and Vietnam was marked by the two countries with diplomatic and cultural events on both sides of the Pacific.In Washington, the Vietnamese embassy hosted an artistic performance that was repeated at the Smithsonian\u2019s Freer and Sackler Galleries, before the troupe departed to perform in New York and San Francisco.Ceremonies at the Freer included an address by Jim R. Nicholson, US Secretary of Veterans Affairs and a Vietnam war veteran.Secretary Nicholson expressed his desire to return to Vietnam for a visit, and maintained that Vietnam and the United States \u201cmust press forward to resolve the full range of issues that remain from the war.\u201dIn that regard, however, Secretary Nicholson mentioned only continued accounting for American MIA\u2019s as an item on that agenda.His speech can be read at\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.va.gov\/opa\/feature\/secyspchs\/US-Vietnam-10%20years-07-10-05.htm\"\u003ehttp:\/\/www.va.gov\/opa\/feature\/secyspchs\/US-Vietnam-10 years-07-10-05.htm\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u
26003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eIn Hanoi, a series of events was capped by a reception featuring U.S. Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs Gordon Mansfield, also a Vietnam veteran; Vietnam\u2019s Foreign Minister Nguyen Dy Nien; and U.S. Ambassador Mike Marine. (Ambassador Marine\u2019s speech can be found at \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/hanoi.usembassy.gov\/wwwhamb050712.html\"\u003ehttp:\/\/hanoi.usembassy.gov\/wwwhamb050712.html\u003c\/a\u003e.)The reception, held at theMuseum of Fine Arts, also featured a photographic exhibit of works resulting from the partnership of Peter Steinhauer and Nguyen Hoai Linh.Vietnam Development Gateway reported that in an earlier meeting Deputy Chairman of the National Assembly Nguyen Phuc Thanh told Mansfield that \u201cboth sides should take more efforts to solve the consequences of the war.\u201dAt a press conference, Mansfield expressed confidence in the vigorous development of U.S.-Vietnam relations and noted that officials on both sides believed they would jointly resolve outstanding issues, emphasizing that \u201cby being partners, the U.S. and Vietnam would gain more fruits of cooperation in the future.\u201d\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eZoellick Visits Vientiane\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eRobert Zoellick made his first official visit to Laos in his new capacity as Deputy Secretary of State July 27-29.He was the U.S. representative to the annual meeting of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), held in Vientiane on the heels of the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting.Laos is chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations this year.Zoellick\u2019s attendance was the result of a controversial decision by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to skip the ARF gathering.The Rice no-show has variously been interpreted as a criticism of the ASEAN plan to allow Burma to take the chair in 2006 (although Rangoon officially withdrew from that responsibility at the Ministerial), and of ASEAN as a regional institution.There is no evidence that Rice intended to shun Laos itself, but analysts have pointed out she forfeited an opportunity to visit one of Asia\u2019s least-developed countries, at a time when the Bush administration had paid special attention to African LDC\u2019s through the G-8 Summit debt package, and to Caribbean LDC\u2019s through its support for the Caribbean Free Trade Area.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eHuman Rights and Political Development\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVietnam\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Human Rights Act Introduced for Third Time\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eOn June 30 H.R.3190, the Vietnam Human Rights Act, was introduced into the House of Representatives by Representative Christopher Smith and a number of co-sponsors, including Frank Wolf, Dana Rohrabacher and Loretta Sanchez.The bill closely follows the format of its two predecessors (in 2001 and 2004), both of which passed in the House but failed to go forward in the Senate.The findings of the new bill acknowledge positive elements, such as the assertiveness of the Vietnamese National Assembly, but echo previous drafts with a primary emphasis on religious freedom issues and the Central Highlands.With regard to the latter area, the bill focuses on \u201cindigenous Montagnards,\u201d a term often employed by Westerners but seldom used by Vietnamese themselves.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u
26003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eThe bill\u2019s primary aim is to prohibit non-humanitarian US assistance to Vietnam unless the State Department certifies that specific markers have been met, but also includes funds for pro-democracy groups and increased support for Radio Free Asia.As in previous years, the bill would require the Department to submit an annual report to Congress on human rights in Vietnam and, in doing so, consult with Vietnamese and international non-governmental organizations.The bill has been referred to the House Committee on International Relations and is awaiting response from the Senate.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eVietnam is also cross-hatched in H.R. 2216, known as the Global Internet Freedom Act, introduced into the House on May 10, 2005.Sponsored by Representative Christopher Cox, with co-sponsors including Tom Lantos and Gary Ackerman, the bill charges that the governments of several countries, including Vietnam, Laos, China and Saudi Arabia, take \u201cactive measures to prevent their citizens from freely accessing the Internet and from obtaining international political, religious and economic news and information.\u201dWith respect to Vietnam, some specialists object to the legislative language and maintain that it paints a misleading picture of categorical attempts to block access to the Internet for the general populationThe bill does not stipulate sanctions but proposes to establish an Office of Internet Freedom within the International Broadcasting Bureau to give greater attention to this issue.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eAlthough discussion of Vietnamese human rights on Capitol Hill will be dominated by these bills in the short-term, developments in other sectors could also influence the issue.The official U.S.-Vietnam human rights dialogue is scheduled to resume, at Hanoi\u2019s request, in the early fall.In addition, Christopher Seiple, President of the Institute for Global Engagement, visited the Central Highlands in late June, on a visit to Vietnam and Laos.The Institute was established by Robert Seiple, the State Department\u2019s first Ambassador-at-Large for Religious Freedom, and takes a pragmatic, country-specific approach to policy issues such as religious freedom.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eABA\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Strengthens Ties with Laos\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eRepresentatives of the American Bar Association (ABA) visited Vientiane June 30-July 5 to discuss expanding cooperation with the Laotian judicial sector.Through its Asian Law Initiative, based in Bangkok, the ABA has focused on drafting and enforcing anti-corruption laws and codes in recent years.In April the National Assembly of Laos passed the country\u2019s first anti-corruption law.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eTrade\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVietnam\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Approaches New Round of WTO Talks\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u
26003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eThis week Hanoi will participate in its ninth round of World Trade Organization negotiations in Geneva, in preparation for entry into the WTO.Vietnam expects to conclude several bilateral talks at what will be the last WTO round of the year before the Hong Kong meeting in December.Thusfar, negotiations have been completed with the European Union, Cuba,Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Singapore, and were conducted last week with Japan.Vietnamese officials have indicated that they are still aiming for admission this December, although talks are not yet complete with the United States, which is pressing for legal and service sector reforms.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eOne key element of Vietnam\u2019s accession to the WTO will be Congressional approval for Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) for Hanoi.Congress must grant PNTR to Vietnambefore it enters the WTO, or resort to a non-application clause of the WTO agreement which would enable Hanoi to enter prior to that, but with restrictions.If US-Vietnam WTO talks conclude in the ninth round, Congressional aides estimate that the PNTR bill, which would be referred to the House Ways and Means and the Senate Finance Committees, could be considered in late September or early October.The U.S.-Vietnam Trade Council has made additional information on the WTO\/PNTR process available at\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/uvtc.org\/trade\/WTO\/PNTR%20_WTO_FAQ28July2005.pdf\"\u003ehttp:\/\/uvtc.org\/trade\/WTO\/PNTR%20_WTO_FAQ28July2005.pdf\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVietnamese Fish Win Taste Test\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eIn July researchers at Mississippi State University released the results of a three-year study comparing Vietnamese basa (known in other quarters as catfish) to American farm-raised catfish.The two varieties of fish were found to have essentially the same nutritional value, but 75% of blind tasters picked Vietnamese basa over American catfish for taste.Basa is exported to the United States under tariffs as high as 64% after US catfish farmers brought an anti-dumping suit against Vietnam.The Catfish Farmers of America and the Catfish Institute, both Mississippi-based organizations, have criticized the study.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCongressional Leaders Laud Cambodian Labor Practices\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eCambodia\u2019s linkage of ILO-monitored labor standards with trade drew bipartisan praise in a two-day July conference \u2013 \u201cPromoting Cambodia\u2019s Competitiveness in a Post-MFA World\u201d -co-sponsored by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Global Fairness and Oxam America.Republican Senator Gordon Smith and Congressman Jim Kolbe, and Democratic Representative Sander Levin joined representatives of Gap, Nike, Target and Wal-Mart in affirming Cambodia\u2019s competitive advantage, due in part to its reputation for maintaining reasonable work place standards despite the termination of quota benefits under the Multi-Fiber Agreement last January.However, Cambodian Minister of Commerce Cham Prasidh noted that even a good reputation could not overcome the economic advantages of China and India.He appealed for passage of the Trade Act of 2005 which w
26ould giveCambodia, Laos and thirteen other least-developed Asian and Pacific countries the same low tariffs offered their economic counterparts in Africa, the Caribbean and Central America.For additional information, see \u201cCambodia Blazes A New Path for Economic Growth and Job Creation,\u201d by Carnegie Senior Associate Sandra Polaski, at\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.carnegieendowment.org\/publications\/inde\/cfm?fa=view\u0026amp;id=15891\"\u003ehttp:\/\/www.carnegieendowment.org\/publications\/inde\/cfm?fa=view\u0026amp;id=15891\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eEconomic Development\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFunding Levels Drop for Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eBush Administration requests for development assistance through the US Agency for International Development for Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos in Fiscal Year 2006 are all lower than FY 2005 appropriations for these countries.FY 2006 levels are expected to be $44 million for Cambodia (versus $55 million in FY 2005 and $49 million in FY 2004); $17.72 million for Vietnam (a slight decline from $18.42 million in FY 2005) and nothing for Laos (down from $2 million in FY 2005).Laos, however, is likely to receive funds from regional USAID programs for the environment and human trafficking.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eLower levels are most likely the reflection of greater Administration priorities elsewhere, in \u201cfront line\u201d states, such as Iraq and Afghanistan, and for the Millennium Challenge Account.Thusfar, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia are not eligible for MCA funds, although Vietnam could technically be designated as a \u201cthreshold\u201d country (but has not been) by the administration.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eIn substance, if not in funding levels, the Congressional appropriation for Cambodia this month closely followed the practice of previous years.Although the largest earmark for development assistance is for prevention of HIV\/AIDS, funds are also allocated for political party development and other democracy programs.Assistance to basic education has dropped from $6 million in FY 2005 to $1.25 million for next year.As has been the case for the past several years, bilateral non-humanitarian assistance is prohibited, although there are numerous exceptions: for programs in HIV\/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, rule of law, counter-narcotics, human trafficking and anti-corruption.As in previous years, the Secretary of the Treasury is also directed to instruct the American representatives to international development banks to oppose loans for non-humanitarian purposes to Cambodia, but these efforts seldom, if ever, block funding.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eSecurity\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u
26003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVietnam\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Defense Staff to Visit PACOM\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eIn September staff from the External Relations Division of the Vietnam\u2019s Ministry of Defense will visit the US Pacific Command (PACOM) in Honolulu, the first-ever visit of Vietnamese officials to the US naval facility.The visit will also be the occasion for the second round of the U.S.-Vietnam security dialogue.Informal dialogue between the defense sectors of the two countries has been building in recent years, but last year regular and formal talks at the working level were initiated.The dialogue is intended to broaden and deepen defense relations that have been boosted in recent years by high-level visits at the ministerial level.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eLegacy Issues\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVAVA Readies Agent Orange Appeal\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eThe Vietnam Association of Victims of Agent Orange (VAVA) and other plaintiffs are preparing to file an appeal in their class action suit against 37 American chemical companies that manufactured Agent Orange and other defoliants used in the war in the 1960\u2019s and 1970\u2019s.The plaintiffs\u2019 brief is to be filed in the Second Circuit Court of Appeals no later than September 30 of this year, and the defendants will have until January 16, 2006 to submit their brief.Oral arguments for the appeal will be scheduled no earlier than March 1, 2006.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eThe lawsuit, brought before the Federal Court in New York in January, 2004 was dismissed on all counts on March 10, 2005.Parallel to the lawsuit, Vietnamese and international groups are seeking to raise awareness of Agent Orange damage as well as to increase contributions for Vietnamese Agent Orange victims.VAVA has declared August 10 as the annual Day for the Victims of Agent Orange.Extensive information on the lawsuit and other efforts to aid Vietnamese Agent Orange sufferers can be found on the Fund\u2019s website at\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.ffrd.org\/agentorange.htm\"\u003ehttp:\/\/www.ffrd.org\/agentorange.htm\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRand Report Assesses Post-War Cambodian Stress\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eA report released by the Rand Corporation on August 3 revealed that almost two-thirds of the nation\u2019s largest Cambodian-American community that left Cambodia in the late 1970\u2019s suffer post-traumatic stress disorder.The study involved 490 adults, ranging in age from 35 to 70, who came to the United States as refugees.In this group, almost all of those interviewed reported experiencing near-death due to starvation; 90% had a friend or family member killed by the Khmer Rouge; and 54% said they had been tortured before coming to the U.S.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u
26003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eSixty-two per cent of those interviewed reported experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder since leaving Cambodia, and 51% said that have dealt with major depression in the past year.The study\u2019s findings contrast to the average rate of post-traumatic stress disorder in the U.S. population as a whole, which is estimated at 3%.Rand psychologist Grant Marshall, the study\u2019s main author, called the stress disorder and depression rates in the Cambodian-American community \u201cshockingly high,\u201d particularly since these disorders still manifest nearly thirty years after leaving Cambodia.Further information is available at \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.rand.org\/news\/press\/.05\/08.02.html\"\u003ehttp:\/\/www.rand.org\/news\/press\/.05\/08.02.html\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNew Document Releases Shed Light on Possible JFK Path\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eAmerican and Polish cables and other documents from the 1960\u2019s, newly uncovered by the National Security Archives of George Washington University and reported in the \u003cem\u003eBoston Globe\u003c\/em\u003e in June, reveal attempts to explore negotiations to end the Vietnam war by President John F. Kennedy and the Soviet Union through India and the U.S. Ambassador to New Delhi at the time, John Kenneth Galbraith.The 1962 and 1963 discussions ultimately were not fruitful.However, they have sparked another round of debate within the United States about whether President Kennedy would have avoided sending combat troops to Vietnam and would instead have relied upon a negotiated solution, a controversy which shows no sign of resolution.\u003c\/p\u003e","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Title","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWASHINGTON INDOCHINA UPDATE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u003cstrong\u003e\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0June 25, 2005\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"heading"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eEvents this month were dominated by the historic visit to the United States of Vietnamese Prime Minister Phan Van Khai, the first visit by a Vietnamese leader of that rank since the end of the Vietnam War.\u00a0 Several agreements were concluded during the visit, detailed below.\u00a0\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eDiplomacy and Bilateral Relations\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKhai Makes Landmark Visit\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eOn June 20 \u2013 25, Vietnamese Prime Minister Phan Van Khai visited the United States to mark the 10\u003csup\u003eth\u003c\/sup\u003e anniversary of normalization of US-Vietnam relations.\u00a0 Khai was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan, several Ministers and Vice-Ministers, leaders of the National Assembly and nearly 100 members of the Vietnamese business community.\u00a0 The delegation visited Seattle, Washington, D.C., New York and Boston.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u
26003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eOn June 21, Prime Minister Khai met with President Bush in the White House.\u00a0 As a rule, meetings between heads of state are carefully scripted, and \u201cdeliverables\u201d are decided well ahead of time.\u00a0 The two governments announced accords on adoption; religious freedom; agriculture; cooperation on epidemiology; and intelligence-sharing and military training.\u00a0\u00a0 In addition, several American companies were granted licenses to operate in Vietnam.\u00a0\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eBeyond these concrete measures, President Bush affirmed the US support for Vietnam\u2019s entry into the World Trade Organization in principle. The most recent round of bilateral WTO negotiations was concluded on June 17, and the next round will commence in July.\u00a0 Bush also confirmed that he planned to visit Vietnam in 2006, when Hanoi will host the APEC meeting. \u00a0(The \u201cdeliverables\u201d for the Bush visit to Vietnam will take as long as a year to plan and negotiate.\u00a0 Accordingly, FRD will produce a policy brief looking ahead to that process this July. The brief will be posted on the Fund\u2019s website. \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.ffrd.org\/\"\u003ewww.ffrd.org\u003c\/a\u003e )\u00a0 \u00a0On June 22, the Prime Minister and several delegation members met with Senate and House leaders on Capitol Hill.\u00a0\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eThe delegation also had high-level contact with American business and non-governmental leaders, beginning with a meeting with Microsoft chairman Bill Gates in Seattle.\u00a0 In Washington and New York, the group was honored with dinners sponsored by trade councils comprised of American companies doing business in Vietnam, as well as a range of NGO\u2019s.\u00a0 In New York, the Prime Minister and delegation members made a social call upon FRD Executive Director John McAuliff and his family at the home of Peter Yarrow, folksinger and activist.\u00a0\u00a0 In Boston, the group was received by the presidents of Harvard and M.I.T. on their respective campuses.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUS-Vietnam Adoption Agreement Signed\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003ePresident Bush and Prime Minister Khai signed an executive agreement to cooperate on measures for adoption of Vietnamese children that is expected to result in the lifting of the 2001 moratorium on adoptions.\u00a0 In recent years both governments have expressed caution that Vietnamese orphans and other children may be trafficked or exploited.\u00a0 In the late 1990\u2019s the Vietnamese government began requiring countries to sign adoption agreements when criminal rings selling children to foreign adoption rings were exposed.\u00a0 In 2001 the US Immigration and Naturalization Service suspended adoptions from both Vietnam and Cambodia, following allegations of adoption fraud and baby-selling.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCrew Changes in State Department\u2019s Asia Shop\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eThe transition from the first to the second administration of President George W. Bush has brought a switch of Assistant Secretaries of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, from James Kelly in the first term to Christopher Hill in the second.\u00a0\u00a0 This, and the summertime rotation of career Foreign Service Officers, will invariably bring changes down the line.\u00a0 EAP Deputy Assistant Secretary for Southeast Asia, Marie Huhtala, has left her position and will be replaced in July by Eric John. \u00a0\u00a0(Marie had a long relationship with and was highly regarded by NGOs.)\u00a0 James Gagnon, Office Director for the countries of mainland Southeast Asia (and a US Embassy officer in Saigon in April, 1975), will retire this summer; his replacement will be Scott Marciel, whose Southeast Asia experience includes a tour on the Laos desk in the early 1990s.\u00a0 In the field, US Ambassador to Cambodia Charles Ray will be finishing his term. The administration has nominated Joseph Mussomeli, presently Deputy Chief of Mission in Manila, to replace him.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u
26003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eTrade and Economic Development\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKhai Visit Boosts Business\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eDuring Prime Minister Khai\u2019s visit to the United States, there were numerous \u201cdeliverables\u201d on the business front as well.\u00a0 In the lead-up to the trip, Vietnam Air announced that it would purchase four Boeing 787 passenger jets.\u00a0 Vietnam Air also announced that it would open a direct flight to the United States in 2006. \u00a0Vietnam also signed a deal with Motorola to upgrade the country\u2019s cellular phone network.\u00a0 \u00a0In Seattle, Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates and Prime Minister Khai signed two Memoranda of Understanding, one specifying that Microsoft would help to develop Vietnam\u2019s information technology businesses, and the other confirming that Microsoft would provide training in computers and software development for 50,000 Vietnamese teachers.\u00a0 Business licenses were also granted or promised to several American companies during the trip, including the insurance conglomerate, American Insurance Group.\u00a0\u00a0 AIG will be the first American insurance company licensed to sell non-casualty insurance (property, liability, marine and avian operations) in Vietnam.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVietnam Rated as a Tourism Leader\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eThe World Travel and Tourism Council, an organization of 100 of the largest tourism associations in the world, has predicted that Vietnam will be in the top ten nations in terms of tourism development in the next ten years.\u00a0 In recent years, tourism in Vietnam has grown 7-10% annually, compared to overall global growth in tourism of 5.4%.\u00a0 American tourism to Vietnam grows even faster, at a rate of 15-20% per year.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLao Commerce Minister Leads Trade Delegation to United States\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eH.E. Soulivong Darivong, Minister of Commerce of Laos, led a study tour delegation from the Laotian business community to the U.S. May 11-17.\u00a0\u00a0 In the wake of Laos receiving Normal Trade Relations from the United States last year, an educational effort was needed to bring business and trade officials from the two countries together, to learn about each other\u2019s economic systems, explore business prospects, and strengthen bilateral cooperation in trade, investment and tourism. \u00a0\u00a0The study tour, was organized by the Fund for Reconciliation and Development in close cooperation with Laotian Americans with a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation.\u00a0 It took the group to California, New York, Illinois, Minnesota and Washington, D.C.\u00a0 The delegation was received by local officials in the cities they visited, and by Representatives George Miller (D-CA) and Betty McCollum (D-MN), among others, in Washington.\u00a0\u00a0 Further details on the trip, photos and a copy of Minister Soulivong\u2019s speech are posted on the FRD website. \u00a0www.ffrd.org\/Laotrade.htm\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u
26003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eHuman Rights and Political Development\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHanoi and Washington Sign Religious Freedom Accord\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eDuring their White House meeting, President Bush and Prime Minister Khai signed an accord on religious freedom, relating to the decision announced by Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick on May 5 in Hanoi, that the United States would not impose sanctions on Vietnam under the \u201cCountry of Particular Concern\u201d framework.\u00a0 The agreement is the first accord on religious freedom signed by the United States and another country since the International Religious Freedom Act was passed in 1998.\u00a0 However, the US Government has not yet made the terms of the agreement public.\u00a0 \u00a0Analysts believe the agreement outlines measures that Vietnam expects to take in religious policy that will prevent the imposition of sanctions in future years.\u00a0 Vietnam hopes to have the CPC designation removed, although only Iraq has been dropped from the list thus far.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSmith Holds Congressional Hearings, Hints of New Bill\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eRepresentative Christopher Smith (R-NJ), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Human Rights and International Operations of the House International Relations Committee, convened a hearing on human rights in Vietnam on June 20, the day before the Bush-Khai meeting.\u00a0 Witnesses were Nina Shea, US Commission on International Religious Freedom; Minky Worden, Human Rights Watch; Helen Ngo, Committee for Religious Freedom in Vietnam; Nguyen Trang, Boat People S.O.S.; Vo Van Ai, Vietnam Committee on Human Rights; and Y Khim Nie, Montagnard Human Rights Committee.\u00a0 According to Congressman Smith, the State Department declined to provide testimony for the hearing.\u00a0 Earlier, Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS) and 44 other Members of Congress had sent a letter to President Bush urging him to pressure Khai on human rights.\u00a0 \u00a0The witnesses\u2019 statements can be accessed on \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/wwwc.house.gov\/international_relations\/ahear.htm\"\u003ehttp:\/\/wwwc.house.gov\/international_relations\/ahear.htm\u003c\/a\u003e.\u00a0 Since all are established critics of Vietnam on human rights grounds, there was considerable overlap in their testimonies.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eAt the hearing, Congressman Smith indicated that he intended to re-introduce the Vietnam Human Rights Act which, in its two previous incarnations (2001 and 2004) sought to sanction Vietnam.\u00a0\u00a0 Earlier efforts foundered in the Senate, and there is no obvious reason to conclude that the legislation will pass in that chamber this year, although it could be approved in the House, as it was before.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 However, if the bill does not pass, Vietnam\u2019s critics on Capitol Hill may attempt to inject human rights conditionality into the Congressional debate on granting Permanent Normal Trade Relations to Vietnam later in the year, as part of the process of approving Vietnam\u2019s entry into the WTO.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u
26003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eState Department Issues Trafficking Report\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eOn June 3 the State Department issued the 2005 Trafficking in Persons Report.\u00a0 Compared to the 2004 rankings, Vietnam and Laos improved their positions, while Cambodia was ranked lower than the previous year.\u00a0\u00a0 Both Vietnam and Laos were removed from the Tier 2 Watch List and placed in the Tier 2 category, which indicates significant trafficking problems mitigated by government efforts to combat them.\u00a0\u00a0 The report noted that Vietnam issued a national plan to combat trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation in 2004; it also drew attention to the Taiwan bride trade in Vietnam, in which a large percentage of women who are trafficked to Taiwan are done so through fraudulent offers of marriage.\u00a0 Laos is praised for passing the Law on Women in 2004, which criminalizes trafficking in persons.\u00a0 However, the report suggests that the central government establish a mechanism to identify trafficking victims until the new law is enforced more effectively at the local level.\u00a0 Cambodia was moved to Tier 3 in 2005, which could make it eligible for sanctions. The report cited government failure to indict traffickers and officials complicit in trafficking as one reason for downgrading the country\u2019s status.\u00a0 All Southeast Asian countries were classified as either Tier 2 or Tier 3; none was rated as Tier 1, which indicates the State Department\u2019s assessment that a country\u2019s government complies with minimum standards to combat trafficking.\u00a0 The full report can be accessed at \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.state.gov\/g\/tip\/rls\/tiprpt\/2005\"\u003ehttp:\/\/www.state.gov\/g\/tip\/rls\/tiprpt\/2005\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKhmer Rouge Tribunal Reaches Critical Funding Level\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eIn late April, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan announced that financial requirements for the Cambodian Khmer Rouge tribunal had been met, and that the United Nations-Cambodian Tribunal Agreement was in force.\u00a0 This month the Cambodian government accepted a Japanese proposal to fund the bulk of Cambodia\u2019s share of the tribunal budget, removing another significant obstacle.\u00a0 The United States continues to decline to fund the tribunal. \u00a0At the initiative of Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Congress has extended the prohibition for funds into Fiscal Year 2005.\u00a0 For a detailed analysis of the issue, see FRD Policy Brief #1, \u201cThe Khmer Rouge Tribunal: Options for the United States and the International Community,\u201d available on the Fund\u2019s website \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.ffrd.org\/\"\u003ewww.ffrd.org\u003c\/a\u003e .\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eSecurity\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHanoi and Washington Open IMET Window, Strengthen Cooperation on Counter-Terrorism\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u
26003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003ePrime Minister Khai\u2019s Washington schedule included a meeting with US Defense Secretary Rumsfeld.\u00a0 The meeting produced a landmark agreement in principle to include Vietnamese participants in the US International Military Education and Training (IMET) program.\u00a0 Precise training areas are still under discussion.\u00a0 The two governments also agreed to increase intelligence-sharing in the areas of counter-terrorism and broader transnational crime.\u00a0 The US-Vietnam security relationship is moving forward slowly but steadily.\u00a0 For example, in May the US Army\/Pacific and the Logistics General Department of the People\u2019s Army of Vietnam co-hosted the 15\u003csup\u003eth\u003c\/sup\u003e Asia-Pacific Military Medicine Conference in Hanoi.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eLegacy Issues\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCambodian Insurgent Arrested\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eOn June 1, Yasith Chhun, the President of the Cambodian Freedom Fighters, a California-based organization with the declared objective of seizing control in Cambodia, was arrested in Long Beach.\u00a0 He was charged with conspiracy to kill in a foreign country; conspiracy to damage or destroy property in a foreign country; and engaging in a military operation against a country with which the United States is at peace. \u00a0The group is charged with forming \u201cOperation Volcano,\u201d to launch a military strike against the Cambodian Ministry of Defense, the Council of Ministers, and a military headquarters facility on November 24, 2000.\u00a0 With his wife, Chhun is also charged with running a fraudulent tax preparation business.\u00a0 The charges resulted from a joint investigation of the FBI and the IRS.\u003c\/p\u003e","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Title","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWASHINGTON\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e UPDATE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMay 10, 2005\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"heading"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis issue marks the return of the Fund\u2019s monthly Washington Update, to report on and analyze events and trends in U.S. relations with Vietnam, Cambodiaand Laos.The Update is one element of the Fund\u2019s Washington policy dialogue program, made possible by generous support from The Henry Luce Foundation and managed by \u003cspan\u003eFRD\u2019s\u003c\/span\u003e Washington Representative, Catharin Dalpino.Comments and suggestions can be directed to \u003ca href=\"mailto:[email protected]\"\[email protected]\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eDiplomacy\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnniversary Summitry\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u
26003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eAs the United States and Vietnam approach the tenth anniversary of the normalization of relations in July, two high-level visits are in train\u003cspan\u003e..\u003c\/span\u003eState Department Deputy Secretary Robert \u003cspan\u003eZoellick\u003c\/span\u003e visited Vietnam May 6-7, as part of his first tour of Southeast Asia (which also included Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines) in his new position.As U.S. Trade Representative in the first term of the Bush administration, \u003cspan\u003eZoellick\u003c\/span\u003e oversaw implementation of the US-Vietnam Bilateral Trade Agreement.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eThe \u003cspan\u003eZoellick\u003c\/span\u003e trip was designed in part to build upon the momentum of US relief to the December tsunami.On a deeper level, \u003cspan\u003eZoellick\u003c\/span\u003e has also raised the issue of increasing competition between the United States and China in Southeast Asia - his early lap of the region is intended to signal a more activist American policy.He drew a direct connection between US-Sino competition and relations with Vietnam when he was quoted in the \u003cem\u003eWashington Post\u003c\/em\u003e as saying that \u201c[The Vietnamese] want to have a very good and strong relationship because they don\u2019t want to be totally dependent on China.\u201dWhile few Vietnam analysts would foresee a scenario of such dependence, \u003cspan\u003eZoellick\u003c\/span\u003e was probably referring more broadly to China\u2019s growing role in Southeast Asia.Economists estimate that in 2005 the volume of ASEAN trade with China will eclipse that of US-ASEAN trade for the first time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eDuring his Hanoi visit, \u003cspan\u003eZoellick\u003c\/span\u003e issued an official invitation to Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Van \u003cspan\u003eKhai\u003c\/span\u003e to visit the United States, the first U.S. visit of a Vietnamese Prime Minister after 1975.A full itinerary is still being under discussion, but Prime Minister \u003cspan\u003eKhai\u003c\/span\u003e is scheduled to meet with President Bush on June 21.In June FRD will publish a policy brief on issues in the US-Vietnam relationship, keyed to the Prime Minister\u2019s visit.The brief will also be available on the Fund\u2019s website.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e(FRD will place a selection of the best articles and reflections about the 30\u003csup\u003eth\u003c\/sup\u003e anniversary on its web site \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.ffrd.org\/anniversary\"\u003ewww.ffrd.org\/anniversary\u003c\/a\u003e. Suggestions are welcome.)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eTrade and Economic Development\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNormal Trade Relations Granted for Laos\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eOn November 19, 2004 US Normal Trade Relations for Laos was approved as a rider on the Miscellaneous Trade Bill (MTB).Seven years in the making, NTR status for Laos was largely the result of greater organization of support by members of the Laotian-American community on this issue in recent years.It was as well a bipartisan effort in Congress, with Democratic House Representatives Betty McCollum and the late Robert Matsui\u2019s introduction of stand-alone legislation (HR 3195) which, although unsuccessful, served to put the issue formally on the Congressional agenda.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u
26003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eIn \u003cspan\u003eFall\u003c\/span\u003e 2004, the measure survived attempts by Wisconsin Senators Herb Kohl and Russell Feingold to place holds on the MTB, which would have prevented its approval before Congress adjourned.Senators Charles Grassley and Max Baucus, Senate Finance Committee chair and ranking member respectively, were able to push the measure through by cloture vote.However, as a companion to the vote, the Senate passed Resolution 475, expressing concern about human rights conditions inLaos.Normal Trade Relations status was ratified by the Lao PDR National Assembly in February 2005, and the arrangement went into effect shortly thereafter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eFRD is coordinating the first visit to the US by a trade and tourism delegation led by Minister or Commerce \u003cspan\u003eSoulivong\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003eDaravong\u003c\/span\u003e, working in close cooperation with Lao and \u003cspan\u003eHmong\u003c\/span\u003e-Americans and with support from the Rockefeller Foundation.The delegation will hold meetings in Fresno California, New York City,Washington DC,
26Chicago\u003cspan\u003e, \u00a0St. Paul \u003c\/span\u003eMinnesota and San Francisco between May 12 and 27\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e(For more information, visit \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.ffrd.org\/laos.html\"\u003ehttp:\/\/www.ffrd.org\/laos.html\u003c\/a\u003e )\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNam\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e \u003cspan\u003eTheun\u003c\/span\u003e II Dam Guarantees Approved\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eIn late February the World Bank agreed to provide $50 million as a partial loan guarantee to allow the Nam \u003cspan\u003eTheun\u003c\/span\u003e II dam project in Laos to go forward.The project, which is expected to cost $1.3 billion, is led by \u003cspan\u003eElectricite\u003c\/span\u003e de France and will enable Laos to sell electricity to Thailand under a guaranteed contract that is expected to provide Laos with $2 billion a year for 25 years.One pressure upon the Bank to approve the guarantees was the perception that China would help finance the project if the Bank did not.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003ePrior to the approval, Bank officials had expressed concern about whether proceeds from sale of the dam\u2019s electricity would be applied to development needs inLaos.The government has pledged that revenues will be spent on education, health and rural development and, as one condition for the guarantees\u003cspan\u003e,has\u003c\/span\u003e agreed to an external audit of the use of proceeds.The Bank has also imposed conditions on external \u003cspan\u003efunders\u003c\/span\u003e of the project, who must provide housing for 6,000 people who will be dislocated when the Nam \u003cspan\u003eTheun\u003c\/span\u003e river is dammed, and pay compensation to an estimated 40,000 people who fish the \u003cspan\u003eXe\u003c\/span\u003e Bang \u003cspan\u003eFai\u003c\/span\u003e river and whose livelihood will be affected when the Nam \u003cspan\u003eTheun\u003c\/span\u003e is diverted to the \u003cspan\u003eXe\u003c\/span\u003e Bang \u003cspan\u003eFai\u003c\/span\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUS-Vietnam Flights Inaugurated\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eOn December 10, 2004 United Airlines opened the first commercial US route to Vietnam when UA Flight #869, originating in San Francisco,landed in Ho Chi\u003cspan\u003eMinh\u003c\/span\u003e City, on the third anniversary of the US-Vietnam Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA).Because the flight went through Hong Kong, it was not technically a direct route.However, Vietnam Airlines plans to inaugurate direct flights to the United States in late 2005 or early 2006.The International Air Transport Association estimates that the air travel industry in Vietnam will grow by 10.5% per year for the year ten years.From 1988-1999, it grew 29.5%.The United flight was symbolic not only of reconciliation between the United States and Vietnam, but also of the dynamism in trade between the two countries.Bilateral trade is expected to exceed $6 billion in 2005, and the United States has become Vietnam\u2019s largest export market.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u
26003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVietnam\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e Moves Closer to WTO Entry\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eWith the dramatic expansion of US-Vietnam trade since the BTA went into effect in late 2001, the United States and Vietnam are now negotiating Washingtonapproval for Vietnam\u2019s entry into the World Trade Organization.Vietnam applied for WTO membership in 1995, and hopes to enter by the end of this year.Trade officials from the two countries held a series of negotiations in 2004, and Hanoi is hopeful these can be concluded with a final round this May.\u003cspan\u003eThusfar\u003c\/span\u003e, Vietnam has completed talks with 6 out of 27 trading partners.(Some negotiations \u2013 with the EU, Brazil and Singapore \u2013 have required only one or two rounds to complete).To enter in 2005, all negotiations will have to finish by the fall, to enable the WTO secretariat to complete entry procedures.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eHowever, trade analysts point out that some 89 laws will have to be drafted or amended to bring Vietnam\u2019s legal system into compliance with the WTO framework.Some Vietnamese economists have expressed fears that dismantling export subsidies too quickly to enter the WTO could cause Vietnamese products to be less competitive in the international market.On the other hand\u003cspan\u003e,the\u003c\/span\u003e Vietnamese textile industry is liable to suffer the longer Vietnam remains outside the WTO, since textile quotas were abolished for WTO members on January 1 of this year.The garment industry in Vietnam employs approximately 25% of the industrial labor force and accounts for $4.5 billion in exports, roughly half of which go to the United States.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLegislation \u003cspan\u003eUnder\u003c\/span\u003e Consideration for Asian \u201cLeft Behind\u201d Countries\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA\u003c\/strong\u003elthough already a WTO member, Cambodia stands to feel the brunt of the abolition of textile quotas even more.Compared to Vietnam, Cambodia\u2019s export sector is not well-diversified, and is heavily concentrated in textiles.Eighty percent of Cambodia\u2019s textile exports go to the United States.Laos has announced its intention to join the World Trade Organization, but the state of its textile export industry is even more fragile than Cambodia\u2019s.The absence of Normal Trade Relations with the United States has not allowed Laos to develop a strong export \u003cspan\u003econnection so\u003c\/span\u003e the abolition of WTO textile quotas is more likely to inhibit the development of an export sector with the United States than to hurt existing trade. Moreover, with designations as least-developed-countries (\u003cspan\u003eLDC\u2019s\u003c\/span\u003e), Laos and Cambodia are both disadvantaged by the trade preferences given to \u003cspan\u003eLDC\u2019s\u003c\/span\u003e in other regions.In fact, Asian and Pacific \u003cspan\u003eLDC\u2019s\u003c\/span\u003e are the only ones not protected by a regional trade preference regime in their trade with the United States.\u003cspan\u003eThese\u003c\/span\u003e Asian \u003cspan\u003eLDC\u2019s\u003c\/span\u003e have been informally labeled the \u201cleft behind\u201d countries.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u
26003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eTo address this inequity, Congress is considering a bill to extend trade preferences on some apparel items to Asia\u2019s least-developed-countries.S191, sponsored by Senator Gordon Smith and co-sponsored by Senators Baucus, Hutchison, Santorum, Feinstein and McCain, was introduced in late January.HR 886, sponsored by Representative Jim Kolbe, was introduced in February.Both bills are presently under consideration in committee.The bill would extend preferences to Cambodia,Laos, Afghanistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Kiribati, the Maldives, Nepal, Samoa, Solomon Islands, East Timor, Vanuatu, Yemen and Sri Lanka.Afghanistan \u003cspan\u003e( because\u003c\/span\u003e of the war against terrorism) and Sri Lanka (because of tsunami relief) are likely to buoy the bill\u2019s prospects.Nepal, with a high degree of internal instability, could be an obstacle.No specific comment on either Laos or Cambodia has yet been noted in relation to the proposed legislation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eHuman Rights and Political Development\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUnited Nations Signals Launch of Khmer Rouge Tribunal\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eIn late April the United Nations announced that legal requirements had been met to enable a war crimes tribunal for surviving leaders of the Khmer Rouge to go forward.The tribunal represents a unique form of mixed national-international judicial body, the first internationalized exercise to give majority control of the legal proceedings to the government on whose territory the offenses were committed.The tribunal is estimated to cost $56.3 million over a three-year period, $21 million of which has been pledged by Japan.Cambodia is expected to contribute $13 million.Although the United States played a major role in bringing the tribunal to fruition, funding for it is presently prohibited under a Congressional ban initiated by Senator Mitch McConnell.FRD will publish a policy brief on the Khmer Rouge tribunal in May, which will be available on the Fund\u2019s website.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eState Places Vietnam on CPC List \u003cspan\u003eBut\u003c\/span\u003e Declines to Impose Sanctions\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eOn September 15, 2004, the State Department designated Vietnam as a \u201ccountry of particular concern\u201d (CPC) under the Religious Freedom Act of 1998.Saudi Arabia and Eritrea were also new designees for 2004, joining China, Sudan, Iran, North Korea and Myanmar.The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) had campaigned to have Vietnam added to the CPC list since 2001.However, the addition of Vietnam in 2004 puzzled many observers, since the State Department freely admitted that the status of religious freedom in Vietnam had \u201cremained fundamentally unchanged\u201d in the past year.This suggests that the decision to name Vietnam a CPC was due more to tensions in the bilateral relationship on this issue or domestic political pressures in the US than to actual dynamics on the ground in Vietnam.Some analysts have speculated that the State Department move was intended to head off Congressional sanctions on Vietnam in the last Congress under the Vietnam Human Rights Act then under consideration.More likely, the designation was viewed as a means of increasing Washington\u2019s leverage over Hanoi on an issue of growing importance in the American political environment.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u
26003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eUnder the CPC framework, fifteen measures are specified for Presidential action, although none are mandatory.These range from private demarches, to the cancellation of diplomatic visits, to votes to deny loans and credits to a CPC country in international financial institutions. (Further information on the CPC process can be found on the FRD website by clicking on \u201cReligious Freedom Debate.\u201d)By law the State Department had six months to decide upon one or more actions, but on March 15 the Department requested an extension for Vietnam (as well as Saudi Arabia and Eritrea).In the meantime, the USCIR pressed State to impose travel sanctions on Vietnamese leaders suspected of violating religious freedom.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eDespite this urging, the State Department announced on May 5 that it will not impose sanctions on Vietnam under the CPC framework this year.This is most likely because of several developments in Vietnam in \u003cspan\u003erecentmonths\u003c\/span\u003e that demonstrate greater religious freedom.Most important was the promulgation of a new religious code, which could lead to legal recognition of additional Buddhist and Protestant groups. As well, in January, two of Vietnam\u2019s most high-profile dissidents, Roman Catholic priest Thaddeus Nguyen Van Ly and physician Nguyen Dan \u003cspan\u003eQue\u003c\/span\u003e, were released from detention along with 8000 other prisoners in the \u003cspan\u003eTet\u003c\/span\u003e amnesty.Also notable was the return of Buddhist leader \u003cspan\u003eThich\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003eNhat\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003eHanh\u003c\/span\u003e to Vietnam after a 38-year-long absence.\u003cspan\u003eNhat\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003eHanh\u003c\/span\u003e arrived in Vietnam in January, accompanied by 200 followers, on a four-month visa which allowed him to teach.The government also granted permission for four of his books to be published.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eAlthough Vietnam has avoided sanctions this year, it will remain a designated \u201ccountry of particular concern,\u201d and the USCIRF will doubtless press for sanctions and other punitive measures.To date, the only country to have been removed from the CPC list was Iraq in 2003, after the American invasion.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e(See also \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.ffrd.org\/Religious%20Freedom.htm\"\u003ehttp:\/\/www.ffrd.org\/Religious%20Freedom.htm\u003c\/a\u003e )\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOmnibus Democracy Bill Would Impact V\/L\/C\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eIn March Congress received draft legislation for a sweeping democracy promotion policy.If passed, the Advance Democratic Values, Address \u003cspan\u003eNondemocratic\u003c\/span\u003eCountries and Enhance Democracy Act of 2005 (known in shorthand as the Advance Democracy Act) would represent the most comprehensive democracy measure to date.Senator John McCain introduced the Act into the Senate (S516), while Frank Wolf is its main sponsor in the House (HR 1133), along with Representatives Chris Smith, Nancy Pelosi, Patrick Kennedy, Tom Lantos, Howard Berman and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u
26003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eThe major provisions of the bill include a requirement that (1) the State Department submit an annual Democracy Report to Congress which categorizes countries according to their degree of democratic government; (2) the United States attempt to establish Democracy Caucuses in every international organization to which it belongs; (3) American chiefs of mission in \u003cspan\u003enondemocratic\u003c\/span\u003e countries devise strategies to encourage democratization; (4) the United States urge the establishment of Helsinki Committees in every region; (5) the State Department establish \u201cbeachhead\u201d countries in each region to encourage the spread of democracy; and (6) the White House create the position of Director for \u003cspan\u003eNondemocratic\u003c\/span\u003e Countries in the National Security Council.The proposed legislation also lists measures the President may take to criticize or sanction \u003cspan\u003enondemocratic\u003c\/span\u003e countries, and would increase funding for democracy promotion.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eThe State Department tends to resist new reporting requirements categorically, and could rightly point out than an annual Democracy Report could overlap significantly with the annual Human Rights Reports.A formal process of categorization will prove problematic for several reasons, and political considerations are likely to create built-in conflicts and inconsistencies.If the bill is approved, it is likely that the State Department will follow the lead of groups such as Freedom House and categorize Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia as \u201c\u003cspan\u003enondemocratic\u003c\/span\u003e\u201d countries.Freedom House has consistently ranked these three countries as \u201cnot free,\u201d the lowest category.However, bills as broad and encompassing as this are often \u003cspan\u003ecutdown\u003c\/span\u003e to smaller size in the legislative process.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eLegacy Issues\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProspects for Assistance to Agent Orange Victims Worsen\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eTwo efforts to resolve the issue of the continued impact of Agent Orange on Vietnam foundered in March.Judge Jack Weinstein of the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York dismissed a 2004 class action suit against American manufacturers of Agent Orange and other defoliants brought by the Vietnamese Association for Victims of Agent Orange\/Dioxin (VAVA) and individuals whose disabilities were believed to have resulted from exposure to dioxin.Judge Weinstein had also made the ruling on Agent Orange lawsuits brought by American Vietnam War veterans twenty years ago.Those suits were also dismissed, but the decision was crafted in ways to encourage the parties to come to an out of court settlement.Legal analysts point to significant differences between the two cases, one being that the Vietnamese plaintiffs were suing under the Alien Tort Claims Act, which allows foreign citizens to recover damages for violations of international human rights, a different standard than the product liability basis for the Veterans\u2019 case. Judge Weinstein did not find that Agent Orange poisoning fit the definition of crimes against humanity.Moreover, he did not believe that sufficient proof existed of a connection between Agent Orange and the plaintiffs\u2019 injuries.(Extensive analysis of Judge Weinstein\u2019s decision and other aspects of the Agent Orange issue can be found on the FRD website \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.ffrd.org\/agentorange.htm\"\u003ehttp:\/\/www.ffrd.org\/agentorange.htm\u003c\/a\u003e )\u003cspan\u003eLuu\u003c\/span\u003e van \u003cspan\u003eDat\u003c\/span\u003e, lawyer and VAVA Central Committee member, believes that the plaintiffs\u2019 appeal will be considered in June.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u
26003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eIronically, the same month the US-Vietnam joint research project on Agent Orange, which might have provided data on a connection between Agent Orange and disabilities, was cancelled.Under the 2002 Memorandum of Understanding between the two governments, the research was to focus on the percentage of the Vietnamese population with levels of dioxin exposure; the impact of Agent Orange on the environment; and identification and remediation of AO \u201chot spots\u201d where chemicals may still be seeping into the soil.Accounts vary on the reasons for the cancellation, but observers generally agree that the project did not proceed as quickly as hoped.Washington-based State Department officials reject charges by some scientists of deliberate cancellation, and indicate that project funding simply lapsed before it could be spent.This implies that the project could be resumed if funding were restored.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eOn a more positive note, in April folksinger and activist Peter Yarrow visited Vietnam and became the first American celebrity to draw attention to Vietnamese victims of Agent Orange.Yarrow gave a concert cosponsored by FRD and the Ministry of Culture and Information at the Hanoi Opera \u003cspan\u003eHouse to\u003c\/span\u003e benefit the Vietnamese Association for the Victims of Agent Orange.The March 2005 issue of \u003cem\u003eCritical Asian Studies\u003c\/em\u003e also highlighted the Agent Orange issue \u003cspan\u003ewitha\u003c\/span\u003e cover story and photo essay on Vietnamese children whose disabilities are linked to dioxin exposure.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFlag Resolution Bill in California Assembly\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eTo date, some 80 US localities and 8 states have adopted resolutions that designate the flag used in the southern Vietnamese provinces from 1954 to 1975 as the one to be flown at local events that include Vietnamese- Americans.These resolutions were promoted by local Vietnamese-American groups, with political support from the California-based Vietnamese-American Public Affairs Committee (VPAC).Although it is official US policy to recognize the government in Hanoi as the legitimate authority in Vietnam, and therefore to recognize the Vietnamese flag, local entities have been able to sidestep this issue by labeling the southern flag the \u201cFreedom and Heritage Flag,\u201d thereby stripping it of national connotation, and specifying that it be used for activities involving Vietnamese-Americans.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}},{"type":"Blog.Section","id":null,"component":{"type":"Blog.Text","id":null,"value":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: start;\"\u003eA draft resolution in the California State Assembly will, if passed, be the most comprehensive of these local initiatives.SCR-17, introduced in the 2005-2006 session, would urge the state to give formal recognition to the southern flag as the \u201csymbolic flag\u201d of the Vietnamese-American community, for use in state-sponsored or state-controlled events.More than 430,000 Vietnamese-Americans live in California.However, testimony by some Vietnamese-American witnesses against the resolution has created a delay in the bill\u2019s passage.Before further consideration, committee leaders have instructed the bill\u2019s sponsors, one of whom is Republican State Assemblyman Van Tran, to draft language reflecting a greater diversity of views within the Vietnamese-American community about the resolution.\u003c\/p\u003e","backupValue":null,"version":null,"text_type":"body"}}]},"settings":{"metaDescription":""},"pageMode":null,"pageData":{"type":"Site","id":"f_780aa043-0e76-48d
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583 font-family: "caladea", "ãã©ã®ãè§ã´ Pro W3","Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro",Osaka,"ã¡ã¤ãªãª",Meiryo,"ï¼ï¼³ ï¼°ã´ã·ãã¯","MS PGothic", serif 584 } 585 #s-content.s-font-nav_dropdown-caladea .s-font-nav_dropdown:lang(zh-cn), 586 #s-content.s-font-nav_dropdown-caladea .s-font-nav_dropdown:lang(sxl), 587 #s-content.s-font-nav_dropdown-caladea .s-font-nav_dropdown:lang(zh) { 588 font-family: "caladea", Cardo, STSong, "Songti SC", SimSun, "PingFang SC", "Microsoft YaHei", 微软é é», STXihei, åæç»é», serif 589 } 590 #s-content.s-font-nav_dropdown-caladea .s-font-nav_dropdown:lang(zh-tw) { 591 font-family: "caladea", 'PingFang TC','Microsoft JhengHei',"å¾®è»æ£é»é«",STXihei, serif; 592 } 593 </style></div><div class="s-blog-content "><div class="s-blog-header"><div class="lazyload s-blog-header-inner s-bg-image s-bg-blurred s-bg-light-text background-image" style="background-repeat:no-repeat;background-size:cover;background-color:transparent;background-position:50% 50%;background-image:url(//assets.strikingly.com/static/backgrounds/blur/8.jpg)" data-bg="//assets.strikingly.com/static/backgrounds/blur/8.jpg" data-react-style="{"backgroundRepeat":"no-repeat","backgroundSize":"cover","backgroundColor":"transparent","backgroundPosition":"50% 50%"}"><style data-emotion="css 1tnf9eu">.css-1tnf9eu{position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;line-height:1;-webkit-backdrop-filter:blur(10px);-webkit-backdrop-filter:blur(10px);backdrop-filter:blur(10px);-webkit-transition:all ease-in 0.2s;transition:all ease-in 0.2s;}.css-1tnf9eu.loaded{-webkit-backdrop-filter:blur(0px);-webkit-backdrop-filter:blur(0px);backdrop-filter:blur(0px);visibility:hidden;}</style><div class="blurred-layer css-1tnf9eu css-19g8d280"></div><div class="waypoint"></div><a target="_self" href="https://www.ffrd.org/#_blog" rel="nofollow" class="s-blog-back-link s-font-body s-blog-body"><span class="left-arrow entypo-left-open-big"></span>
593Return to site</a><div class="table-row-wrap"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><a target="_self" href="https://www.ffrd.org/#_blog" rel="nofollow" class="s-blog-back-link"><span class="left-arrow entypo-left-open-big"></span>Return to site</a></div></div></div><div class="s-blog-header-content s-blog-padding s-edit-dark"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-title s-blog-title" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><h1><div>Washington Updates 2005-2006</div></h1></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-blog-header-bottom"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-info s-font-body"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-blog-body s-blog-padding"><div class="s-repeatable s-block s-component s-mh "><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-heading" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><div>Washington Update May 2006</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><div><em>Down to the wire: the final round of US-Vietnam WTO negotiations end successfully but time is tight for the US Congress to grant Permanent Normal Trade Relations, which will enable Vietnam to enter the WTO this year. However, business groups; NGOâs; diplomats from both countries; and Congress itself are moving rapidly toward the PNTR debate and vote. Meanwhile, legislative relief in the form of trade preferences for Cambodia, Laos and other Asian-Pacific LDCâs looks increasingly unlikely as this Congress heads into the homestretch. Cambodia and the United States reach a watershed when they agree to launch a Peace Corps program in 2007. On another front, the plaintiffsâ appeal in the lawsuit on behalf of Vietnamese victims of Agent Orange appears bogged down in the courts, with no hearing likely until late in the year. </em></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><em>--Catharin Dalpino, Washington Representative</em> 594</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p><strong>· US and Vietnam Complete 12th and Final WTO Round</strong></p> 595</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap">The May 14 announcement that the United States and Vietnam had reached agreement in principle on outstanding trade issues related to Vietnamâs entry into the World Trade Organization, marked the finish of Hanoiâs series of bilateral negotiations on WTO accession. Vietnam began bilateral rounds in 1995, and talks with the United States were the last to be completed.. The highlights of the final round, conducted in Washington May 9-13, were Vietnamâs agreement to lower tariffs on US industrial and farm products and to remove non-tariff barriers to US services. Vietnam has also agreed to abolish subsidies for its export garment industry. The two countries expect to sign an agreement in June. This will most likely be accomplished when incoming US Trade Representative Sus
595an Schwab visits Hanoi that month for an APEC trade ministersâ meeting. </div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap">Vietnam must be given PNTR status because it is subject to the Jackson-Vanik Amendment in US trade law, which places tariffs and other restrictions on imports from some communist and former communist countries. By granting PNTR, Congress will essentially be terminating Vietnamâs Jackson-Vanik status. Pressure is mounting on Congress to pass PNTR before the August recess, since Vietnam will request WTO entry in the second half of this year. Strictly speaking, Vietnamâs accession to the WTO does not depend upon PNTR; rather, without PNTR the US would be denied access to Vietnamese markets comparable to other WTO members once Vietnam has joined the WTO. However, such a scenario would deliver a major economic blow to Vietnam, and so both Vietnamese and US policymakers view PNTR as necessary for Hanoiâs entry into the WTO. </div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap">Although Congress will not formally consider PNTR for Vietnam until an agreement is signed, a significant amount of groundwork is already underway. In mid- April Speaker of the US House of Representatives Dennis Hastert led a Congressional delegation to Vietnam and informally signaled his support for PNTR. Senator Max Baucus, the ranking member on the Senate Finance Committee, has also stated his support for PNTR in a statement released almost simultaneously with the US Trade Representativeâs announcement of the conclusion of talks on May 14. </div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap">Despite these early and encouraging statements, PNTR is not automatically assured. In April the House Subcommittee on International Human Rights, chaired by Congressman Chris Smith, held hearings on human rights in Vietnam, which was tacitly understood to be a warning that Vietnamâs Congressional critics may attempt to place conditions on a PNTR bill. As well, on May 3 the US Commission on International Religious Freedom called for renewal of Vietnamâs designation as a Country of Particular Concern on religious freedom issues. </div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap">The non-governmental community is also preparing for the PNTR debate. A US-Vietnam WTO Coalition, shepherded by the US-ASEAN Business Council has been established. For information, <a href="http://www.usvtc.org/coalition.asp">click here</a>. </div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap">In addition, FRD is circulating a petition to Congress urging PNTR passage. 596</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p><strong><a href="http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/vietnam_pntr/">View the PNTR petition</a></strong></p> 597</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p><strong>· Bill Gates Visits Vietnam</strong></p> 598</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap">In April Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates made a two-day visit to Vietnam, with a two-pronged agenda: to assess the countryâs potential as an outsourcing center for information technology, and to urge officials to increase their efforts to stem software piracy. Gates met with Prime Minister Phan Van Khai and other high-ranking government officials, and spoke at the Hanoi University of Technology. His visit underscored the potential of Vietnamâs IT sector, which the government estimates is growing at a rate of 30% per year. With its labor force increasing by 1 million people per year, Vietnam hopes one day to rival India as an IT outsourcing center. 599</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p><strong>· Cambodia Survives Abolition of Textile Quotas But Outlook for US Trade Bill Grim</strong></p> 600</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap">Statistics released by the International Monetary Fund indicate that Cambodiaâs GDP for 2005 was 12%, a gain over 2004. Since Cambodiaâs economic growth is still heavily depen
600dent on its garment exports, this suggests that the damage to the Cambodian textile industry anticipated when quotas were abolished for WTO members in January 2005 is less than had been expected. There are several reasons for this: Cambodiaâs relatively low labor costs and relatively high labor standards, as well as US and European Union restrictions placed on Chinese textiles. </div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap">However, this optimistic trend is likely to slow this year as competition for low-priced textiles increases and oil prices rise. Moreover, the outlook for continued economic stability in Cambodia, as well as in Laos and other Asian-Pacific least-developed countries, is dimmer as the Trade Act of 2005 â which would lower tariffs for Asian-Pacific LDCâs similar to benefits granted to their economic counterparts in Africa, the Caribbean and Central America â seems to be in stalemate in Congress. If the Act is not passed by the end of the year it will lapse and would need to be revived by a new Congress in 2007. 601</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p><strong>· Peace Corps To Inaugurate First-Ever Program in Cambodia</strong></p> 602</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap">On March 29 Peace Corps Director Gaddhi Vasquez and Meng Eang Nay, Deputy Chief of Mission for the Cambodian Embassy in Washington, announced that Peace Corps would establish its first program in Cambodia in early 2007. The first volunteers are likely to focus on English teaching and health education. Prior to their arrival, Peace Corps will establish an office in Phnom Penh and begin training staff. </div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap">Discussions on a possible Peace Corps program are also in progress with Vietnam, and US observers believe a program in that country, as well as in Indonesia, could be launched in 2007. 603</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p><strong>· Hearing on Vietnam Agent Orange Suit Delayed in US Court</strong></p> 604</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap">For the third time, the Second US Court of Appeals has set a new time frame for a hearing on the appeal of the lawsuit brought by the Vietnam Association for Victims of Agent Orange (VAVA) and other plaintiffs against Dow, Monsanto and other American manufacturers of the defoliants and herbicides used during the Vietnam war. The new parameter for a hearing is between August 5 and December 5 of this year, but no definite date as been set. Lawyers familiar with the Federal Court system note that delays of civil appeals hearings for procedural reasons are not unusual. </div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap">Despite the lagging judicial process, awareness of the impact of Agent Orange in Vietnam has been growing in recent months. In March FRD co- sponsored the first international conference on the social, economic and psychological impact of Agent Orange, held in Hanoi. The conference was coordinated by the Center for Gender, Family and Environment in Development, a Vietnamese research organization. (<a href="http://www.ffrd.org/AO/The%20Expectations.htm">Click here for proceedings of the conference.</a>) </div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap">Proceedings from a subsequent VAVA conference of persons from several countries who believe they are suffering from the effects of Agent Orange will also be available on the FRD website. </div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap">US Secretary for Veterans Affairs Jim Nicholson was questioned vigorously by the international press on the US policy toward Vietnamese Agent Orange victims when he visited Vietnam in April. </div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap">FRD has launched an on-line petition to President Bush urging he announce two practical steps to address this sensitive bilateral issue during his November visit to Vietnam.</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-heading" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><div>Washington Update March 2006</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><div><i>US-Vietnam relations have shown clear momentum is recent weeks as WTO negotiations advance and the diplomatic dialogue on human rights resumes. One positive form of pressure on the relationship is the planned visit of President Bush to Hanoi in November, for the APEC Summit. In Cambodia, the War Crimes Tribunal is launched, thirty years after Khmer Rouge rule.</i></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><i>--Catharin Dalpino, Washington Representative</i> <br>   605<ul> 606<li>Khmer Rouge Tribunal Goes Into Gear</li> 607</ul> 608 609</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p>On February 6 the UN tribunal for the Khmer Rouge was officially established, after five years of negotiation and a decade prior to that of advocacy by both government and private actors. Although a $10 million shortfall on the Cambodian side still hampers funding, reallocations are under discussion. A short list of candidates for judges and prosecutors has been compiled, and the international slate is expected to be announced this spring; a list of thirty potential jurists from the Cambodian judiciary is circulating. Some key tribunal personnel have been hired, including directors for security and public relations. A âgroup of interested statesâ is shepherding the process. US leadership on the tribunal has been distinctly lacking in recent years, but a policy review is reportedly underway.</p> 610<a href="http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=s7497tbab.0.y78g6tbab.gfa6ynbab.3293&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ffrd.org%2FPolicy%2520Briefs%2FPolicyBrief1.htm" title="http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=s7497tbab.0.y78g6tbab.gfa6ynbab.3293&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ffrd.org%2FPolicy%2520Briefs%2FPolicyBrief1.htm">Policy brief by Craig Etcheson</a> 611<ul> 612<li>Human Rights Take Positive Turn in US-Vietnam Relations</li> 613</ul> 614 615</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p>In February the United States and Vietnam resumed the governmental dialogue on human rights with a meeting in Hanoi. This marked the resumption of the dialogue after a three-year hiatus that had been initiated by the US. Barry Lowenkron, Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, praised a constructive approach on the Vietnamese side and n
615oted, âThese were not discussions of throwing accusations at each other.â Lowenkron also pointed to improvements in religious freedom in Vietnam in recent months.</p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap">These views were echoed and extended on March 16 when US Ambassador to Vietnam Michael Marine indicated that the US is âexploring conditions under which CPC (the âCountry of Particular Concernâ designation for religious freedom) could be lifted.â Marine recently visited the Central Highlands, where the Christian ethnic minority tends to attract particular US attention. He noted that some previously banned churches had been allowed to open and that the number of allegations of forced renunciations had âdropped precipitously.â</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap">The State Departmentâs 2005 Human Rights Reports, released in March, contributed little new perspective one way or another. The reports marked no dramatic changes positively or negatively for Vietnam or Laos. It reported a worsening of rights in Cambodia, but that situation has changed with the release of human rights activists in January and the growing reconciliation between opposition leader Sam Rainsy and the government coalition.<p></p> 616 617<ul> 618<li>New WTO Round for Vietnam To Open in Geneva</li> 619</ul> 620 621</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p>In late March the 11th multilateral round of negotiations on Vietnamâs accession to the World Trade Organization will convene in Geneva. The substantive focus of the meeting will be on international treaties and state subsidies. On the margins, Vietnam expects to conclude bilateral negotiations with Mexico, Honduras and Dominica, with only a bilateral agreement with the United States outstanding. Vietnamese and US officials are planning a subsequent negotiation later in the spring, either in Geneva or Washington. Although the ultimate timing of the conclusion of US talks is still to be determined, American policymakers and legislators are looking ahead to the Congressional process of granting Permanent Normal Trade Relations status to Vietnam. If Hanoi is to enter the WTO this year, PNTR must be granted this summer or in the early fall. </p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><i>FRD is encouraging non-governmental organizations and educational institutions that have programs with Vietnam to support passage of PNTR in messages to Congress. For further information, contact Deputy Director Susan Hammond at [email protected]</i><p></p> 622<a href="http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=s7497tbab.0.z78g6tbab.gfa6ynbab.3293&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vnep.org.vn%2FWeb%2FDefault.aspx%3Flang%3Den-US" title="http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=s7497tbab.0.z78g6tbab.gfa6ynbab.3293&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vnep.org.vn%2FWeb%2FDefault.aspx%3Flang%3Den-US">CEIM opens Vietnam Economic Portal</a> 623<ul> 624<li>Intel Makes Substantive and Symbolic Commitment to Vietnam</li> 625</ul> 626 627</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p>In February Vietnam approved a license to Intel Corp, the worldâs largest microchip manufacturer, to build a $605 million plant in Ho Chi Minh Cityâs Saigon Hi- Tech Park. With the approval, Intel became Vietnamâs first foreign investor in the field of high technology, and its entry is expected to draw other foreign companies in the field. Vietnam projects $2 billion worth of electronic product exports for 2006, up 40% from 2005 levels.</p> 628<a href="http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=s7497tbab.0.978g6tbab.gfa6ynbab.3293&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.intel.com%2Fpressroom%2Farchive%2Freleases%2F20060228corp.htm" title="http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=s7497tbab.0.978g6tbab.gfa6ynbab.3293&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.intel.com%2Fpressroom%2Farchive%2Freleases%2F20060228corp.htm">Intel statement</a> 629<ul> 630<li>Overseas Remittances Up to Vietnam</li> 631</ul> 632 633</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p>According to the State Bank of Vietnam, remittances from overseas Vietnamese have surged in the past year, growing by 20-25%, and now total an estimated US $4 billion annually. This quantum leap is attributed to the collective impact of legal and structural reforms in recent years, such as the abolition of limits on overseas remittances; lifting taxes on these funds; and permits that enable overseas Vietnamese to purchase property in Vietnam. Accompanying the increase in funds is a dramatic jump in the number of foreign and domestic companies involved in processing remittances, from 40 last year to 100 this year..</p> 634<a href="http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=s7497tbab.0.878g6tbab.gfa6ynbab.3293&
634p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.va-ngo.org%2Fvjmla%2F" title="http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=s7497tbab.0.878g6tbab.gfa6ynbab.3293&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.va-ngo.org%2Fvjmla%2F">Vietnamese American NGOs web page</a> 635<ul> 636<li>US-ASEAN Summit: Seven, Nine or Ten?</li> 637</ul> 638 639</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p>In an attempt to increase its involvement and profile with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the United States has proposed a US- ASEAN Summit in Hanoi in November, on the margins of the APEC Summit. Washingtonâs exclusion from the inaugural meeting of the East Asia Summit in Kuala Lumpur in December raised warning flags with US policymakers, as did the China-ASEAN framework agreement for a free trade area. </p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap">However, the US proposal presents problems, since only seven ASEAN members are also APEC members â a ten-year moratorium on new members was imposed in 1997, excluding Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. The ASEAN-7 framework would enable the US to avoid including Myanmar, which is under heavy US sanctions, but Washington has no desire to exclude Cambodia or Laos. Under discussion are several formulations: for an APEC-only meeting; for a summit with the ASEAN-9 (including Cambodia and Laos); and for a meeting with the full ASEAN membership. Observers rate the possibility of an ASEAN-7 or ASEAN-9 meeting equally, but hold out little chance for a summit with the ASEAN-10.<p></p> 640 641<ul> 642<li>Battlefields into Baseball Fields?</li> 643</ul> 644 645</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p>In late January the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund and the Quang Tri Province Peopleâs Committee inaugurated a âBringing Baseball of Vietnamâ program in the province, with a demonstration and baseball clinic led by Major League Baseball pitcher Danny Graves. Graves was born in Vietnam to a Vietnamese mother and American serviceman, and was returning to the country for the first time in 30 years. The two organizationsâ âbaseball diplomacyâ initiative complements a mine action program, Project Renew, managed jointly by the Fund and the Quang Tri Province Peopleâs Committee. Prior to the clinic, Project Renew staff removed 13 different kinds of unexploded ordnance in clearing a baseball field.</p> 646<a href="http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=s7497tbab.0.578g6tbab.gfa6ynbab.3293&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vvmf.org%2F" title="http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=s7497tbab.0.578g6tbab.gfa6ynbab.3293&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vvmf.org%2F">Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund</a> 647<ul> 648<li>Laos Makes Dramatic Gains in Opium Eradication</li> 649</ul> 650 651</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p>In February the Lao government declared the country to be free of opium produced for commercial purposes, confirming what the United Nations has termed âmomentousâ progress in opium eradication. In 1998 the UN listed Laos as the worldâs third- largest producer of heroin, which is derived from poppy production, with an estimated 27,000 hectares under cultivation. Since then, however, cultivation has been slashed by 93%, with the remaining 1800 hectares primarily in areas where opium is used in traditional medicines. This dramatic drop is attributed to multiple policies: destruction of poppy fields; pursuit of traffickers; education and treatment programs; and donor-supported crop substitution projects.</p> 652 653<ul> 654<li>Korean Agent Orange Case: Pressure and Precedent for Chemical Companies?</li> 655</ul> 656 657</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p>On January 26 a South Korean court ordered two American manufacturers of Agent Orange during the Vietnam War â Dow Chemical and Monsanto â to pay $62 million in compensation to 6,800 South Korean veterans of the war and their families. South Koreans contributed the largest number of allied troops to the war, sending 320,000. The court noted a âcausal connectionâ between exposure to dioxin and eleven diseases, but did not recognize a connection to peripheral neuropathy, which medical scientists consider to be the most wide-spread disease of Agent Orange sufferers. Both sides are considering appeals: the chemical companies to overturn the compensation ruling, and the plaintiffs, to include peripheral neuropathy. </p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap">The South Korean case has no formal connection to the ongoing class action suit against 30 American chemical manufacturers, brought by the Vietnamese Association of Victims of Agent Orange, but it will clearly place more public pressure on the companies. The US case is in the appeals process, and oral arguments are scheduled for April.<p></p> 658<p><i>Photo of Agent Orange exposed father with his son taken by Don Edwards in A Luoi Valley.</i></p> 659<a href="http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=s7497tbab.0.od9w9rbab.gfa6ynbab.3293&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ffrd.org%2Fagentorange.htm" title="http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=s7497tbab.0.od9w9rbab.gfa6ynbab.3293&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ffrd.org%2Fagentorange.htm">FRD Agent Orange pages</a> 660<ul> 661<li>
661Dueling Conferences: JFK Library and U/Mass Revisit the Vietnam War</li> 662</ul> 663 664</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p>In March, a two-day conference on âVietnam and the Presidencyâ was organized in Boston at the John F. Kennedy Library, so-sponsored by all of the Presidential libraries â from Hoover to Clinton â and the Foundation for the National Archives. Panelists and speakers included former President Jimmy Carter; cabinet-level officials from the Vietnam era; as well as prominent journalists and scholars. </p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap">In the lead-up to the conference, however, some Vietnam scholars and Vietnamese-Americans protested the omission on the podium of Vietnamese and others affected by the war in letters to the Kennedy Library, op eds and editorials on NPR. To fill this gap, the William Joiner Center for the Study of War and Social Consequences at the University of Massachusetts/Boston organized an alternative conference entitled âVietnam: Looking Forward, Looking Backâ for the same timeframe. Billed as a forum where âthose who have experienced the consequences of Presidential decision-making may be heard,â the conference included Vietnamese, veterans and anti-war activities. Session topics included the legacy of Agent Orange; Indochinese refugees; veteransâ experiences; the draft; and the Vietnam War and minorities. </div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap">The Kennedy Library conference was taped and subsequently broadcast by C-Span. Sessions can be viewed in streaming video from the C-SPAN on-line archives or by purchase from C-SPAN. The Joiner Center conference was not televised, but videotapes were made which can be obtained from the <a href="http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=s7497tbab.0.g68g6tbab.gfa6ynbab.3293&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.joinercenter.umb.edu%2F" title="http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=s7497tbab.0.g68g6tbab.gfa6ynbab.3293&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.joinercenter.umb.edu%2F">Center</a> . </div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap">At the JFK Library conference, with respect to the specific legacy of Agent Orange, former Secretary of State Al Haig responded to a question with a strong statement of US moral responsibility to assist victims in Vietnam of unintended consequences of the use of Agent Orange. Former Ambassador Pete Peterson, replying to another question, told the audience that Agent Orange was a strongly-felt grass roots concern among Vietnamese that needed to be addressed by the US, initially by cleaning up hot spots.<p></p> 665</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-heading" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><div><span>Washington Indochina Update January 2006</span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><div>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</div> 666<div>in this issue</div> 667<div>-- Vietnam Looks to 2006 for WTO Admission</div> 668<div>-- American Airlines-Vietnam Air Forge Agreement</div> 669<div>-- Nam Theun II Dam Underway</div> 670<div>-- Post-NTR Workshop Stimulates US-Lao Trade</div> 671<div>-- Vietnam Stays on CPC List, But Administration Hints at Removal</div> 672<div>
672-- Congressman Smith Announces Linkage</div> 673<div>-- Freedom House Rates Vietnamese Civil Rights Improved</div> 674<div>-- Foreign Operations Conference Bill Silent on KR Tribunal</div> 675<div>-- Bush Administration Removes Vietnam from Drug List</div> 676<div>-- US and Vietnam Cooperate on Drug Arrests</div> 677<div>-- Government and Vietnamese-American Groups Unite to Aid Hurricane Victims</div> 678<div>-- Vietnamese Officials and Vietnamese American NGOs Conduct Historic Meeting</div> 679<div>-- Agent Orange Lawsuit Goes to Appeal</div> 680<div>-- Agent Orange Victims Tour US</div> 681</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p><b><i>2005 was a dream deferred for Vietnam's quest to enter the World Trade Organization. The sticking point has been US approval, but both sides are tacitly preparing for a mid-2006 accession. In the meantime, the long-awaited launch of the Nam Theun II dam took place in Laos. The Khmer Rouge Tribunal still lacks crucial funding, but the prospects for a US contribution could be improving. <br>-- Catharin Dalpino</i></b></p> 682<div><br>Vietnam Looks to 2006 for WTO Admission</div> 683<div>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</div> 684<p>In early December Hoang Van Dung, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry acknowledged that Vietnam did not expect to enter the World Trade Organization at the group's meeting in Hong Kong later in the month. Dung cited the complexities of the WTO's China experience, and pointed out that entrance rules have been much stiffer since Beijing's accession in 2001. In this context, the most challenging bilateral negotiations for Vietnam's WTO admission are those with the United States.</p> 685<p>However, both sides are hopeful that talks can be concluded in early 2006 and Permanent Normal Trade Relations granted to Vietnam in the summer. In December, a seven-member delegation from the US Senate visited Vietnam, led by Senator Gordon Smith of Oregon. Meeting with Vietnamese President Tran Duc Luong and Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dzung, the delegation expressed support for the country's accession to WTO. They also remarked on Vietnam's continued economic growth, which reached 8.45% in 2005</p> 686</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><div><br>American Airlines-Vietnam Air Forge Agreement</div> 687<div>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</div> 688<p>American Airlines, the largest airline carrier in the United States, has applied to the US Department of Transportation for approval to sign a cooperative agreement with Vietnam Air to sell seats on one another's international flights, and on selected domestic flights. This code-sharing arrangement will enable either airline to sell one ticket which enables a traveler to fly between the two countries over various routes. If approval is granted, the arrangement is expect to go into effect in early 2006.</p> 689</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><div><br>Nam Theun II Dam Underway</div> 690<div>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</div> 691<p>On November 17 LPDR Prime Minister Bounnhang Vorachit and Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra broke ground on the Nam Theun II dam, a $1.25 billion project that is expected to supply power to 17 Thai provinces. The dam - to be constructed by 4000
691workers from 30 countries - is scheduled to be operational by 2009. Laos expects to reap revenues from the dam of approximately $150 million per year.</p> 692</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><div><br>Post-NTR Workshop Stimulates US-Lao Trade</div> 693<div>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</div> 694<p>In December the Fund for Reconciliation and Development organized a landmark three-day meeting, "Laos-US Business Opportunities: Making NTR A Reality" to help deepen and accelerate bilateral trade in the start-up period following the 2004 decision to grant Normal Trade Relations to Laos. Held in Vientiane, the workshop was co-sponsored by the Lao Ministry of Commerce and the Lao Chamber of Commerce, with support from the Rockefeller Foundation and a variety of American and Asian business councils. The 200 participants included 70 Laotian-Americans from eight states. Over 100 Lao businesses were represented, as were US businesses based in Laos and Thailand.</p> 695<p>Following the formal meeting, participants had the opportunity to visit several provinces and meet with local officials and businesses. Beyond the inherent value of the exchanges, the meeting also explored several avenues for follow-up. Apart from the obvious boost to trade created by NTR, a slate of large-scale infrastru
695cture projects on mainland Southeast Asia that involve Laos will create opportunities for US business, in both equipment and expertise. Further information about the Vientiane workshop can be obtained from FRD Deputy Director Susan Hammond<[email protected]>.</p> 696<p><a href="http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=i84pyrbab.0.0.gfa6ynbab.0&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ffrd.org%2Flaos.html">Click here for a longer report on the workshop</a></p> 697<div><br>Vietnam Stays on CPC List, But Administration Hints at Removal</div> 698<div>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</div> 699<p>In November the State Department released the 7th annual Report on Religious Freedom, and announced the re-designation of eight countries as "Countries of Particular Concern," one of which was Vietnam. However, in the press briefing that released the report, both Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom John Hanford noted that religious freedom conditions in Vietnam have improved noticeably, and that continued progress could lead to the designation's removal. The report's Vietnam chapter echoed this view and noted that significant progress had been made, but that legal improvements relating to Vietnam's religious environment are in the early stages of implementation.</p> 700<p><a href="http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=i84pyrbab.0.0.gfa6ynbab.0&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ffrd.org%2FReligious%2520Freedom.htm">Click here for more on the religious freedom debate</a></p> 701<div><br>Congressman Smith Announces Linkage</div> 702<div>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</div> 703<p>Representative Christopher Smith, Chair of the Global Human Rights Subcommittee of the House International Relations Committee visited Vietnam December 1-3, in part to meet with Vietnamese government and religious leaders to discuss human rights and religious freedom issues. Smith reported that he met with over 60 religious leaders of numerous faiths and noted improvements, such as the registration and re-opening of several churches, and an increase in faith-based charitable work. However, he remains critical of Vietnam's overall religious environment and supports its continued CPC designation. Moreover, in a statement released upon his return to Washington, Smith announced that he would seek to link Permanent Normal Trade Relations designation for Vietnam to human rights and religious freedom conditions when PNTR comes up for debate, presumably this summer.</p> 704</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><div><br>Freedom House Rates Vietnamese Civil Rights Improved</div> 705<div>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</div> 706<p>The general impression in the US policy community of the strengthening of personal rights in Vietnam was reinforced by the Freedom House 2006 Survey, released on December 19. Although Freedom House maintained Vietnam's designation as a "Not Free" country, it indicated improvements in civil rights by moving the country from a "6" rating to a "5." Ratings for Laos remained at previous levels, also with a "Not Free" ranking; Laos received a "7" for political rights and "6" for civil rights. Cambodia too was ranked "Not Free," with a "6" for political rights and "5" for civil rights. Vietnam was one of the few Southeast Asian countries with an upward trend in the Freedom House rankings. The Philippines was downgraded from "Free" to "Partly Free" this year; in recent years, the FH ratings also noted backsliding in Thailand.</p> 707<p><a href="http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=i84pyrbab.0.0.gfa6ynbab.0&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vietnamembassy-usa.org%2Fdocs%2FWhite-Paper-on-Human-Rights.pdf">Click here for Viet Nam's White Paper on Human Rights</a></p> 708<div><br>Foreign Operations Conference Bill Silent on KR Tribunal</div> 709<div>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</div> 710<p>For the first time in two years the conference bill for the Foreign Operations Act, agreed upon by Congress in November, did not contain a prohibition against US funding for the Khmer Rouge Tribunal in Cambodia. Although obviously not an affirmative commitment of US funds, it appears to remove one obstacle for potential US support in Fiscal Year 2006, which ends on September 30. However, other measures are available to the legislature if opposition to funding the tribunal arises. Some observers think it likely that opposition would appear, especially after arrests of three Cambodian human rights activists for defamation in late December. Withholding US support for the tribunal has long been held as a sign of Congressional disapproval of Prime Minister Hun Sen.</p> 711<p><a href="http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=i84pyrbab.0.0.gfa6ynbab.0&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ffrd.org%2FPolicy%2520Briefs%2FPolicyBriefs.htm">Click here for Policy Brief on Khmer Rouge tribunal</a></p> 712<div><br>Bush Administration Removes Vietnam from Drug List</div> 713<div>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</div> 714<p>In September the Bush administration released its annual list of countries designated as major transit points or major sources of illicit drug production. Vietnam was removed from the list, as was China. The administration's designation noted, in the oblique language that often characterizes rankings, that there was "insufficient evidence to refute claims from the Government of Vietnam of total poppy eradication." Laos remained on the list; the State Department's 2005 annual report on counter- narcotics strategy noted that drug control was gradually improving, but that c
714orruption was severe. Cambodia is not on the list, and the 2005 report indicated that counter-narcotics efforts had increased.</p> 715</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><div><br>US and Vietnam Cooperate on Drug Arrests</div> 716<div>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</div> 717<p>In a separate and subsequent action, cooperation between the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security and the US Drug Enforcement Agency produced the first major group of arrests in pursuit of an international drug cartel. On November 17, the arrest of over 300 international drug gang members involved the work of US agents and an undercover Vietnamese police officer. The probe focused on a drug network that stretched from North America to Vietnam</p> 718</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><div><br>Government and Vietnamese-American Groups Unite to Aid Hurricane Victims</div> 719<div>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</div> 720<p>Prior to the arrival of Hurricane Katrina in late August, Louisiana was home to more than 25,000 Vietnamese-Americans, while southern Mississippi had approximately 7,000 Asian-American residents, most of them Vietnamese. An estimated 10,000 Vietnamese-Americans from New Orleans were relocated to Houston. The Government of Vietnam responded to the tragedy with financial contributions, as did the Vietnam Red Cross. Vietnamese-American organizations rallied to provide material support, interpretation services and a variety of other forms of assistance. In December, a concert of popular singers from Vietnam, sponsored by the Embassy of Vietnam in Washington, donated a portion of the proceedings to help both the victims of Hurricane Katrina and victims of the typhoon in Vietnam that struck in late 2005.</p> 721</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><div><br>Vietnamese Officials and Vietnamese American NGOs Conduct Historic Meeting</div> 722<div>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</div> 723<p>In November the first-ever formal meeting between Vietnamese government officials and representatives from Vietnamese-American philanthropic groups took place in northern California. Convened by the Pacific Links Foundation with support from the Ford, Gerbode and Asia Foundations, the conference brought together more than 130 Vietnamese-American groups that operate in Vietnam. In the course of the meeting, 24 NGO's formed the Vietnamese-American Non-Governmental Organization Network; as one activity, the Network agreed to identify one Vietnamese city to which all members would contribute programs next year. In response to criticism from hardline elements of the Vietnamese- American community who opposed meeting with Vietnamese government officials, conference organizers pointed out that such dialogues are the best means to encourage greater Vietnamese government transparency with the non-governmental community.</p> 724</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><div><br>Agent Orange Lawsuit Goes to Appeal</div> 725<div>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</div> 726<p>
726On September 30 lawyers for the Vietnam Association for the Victims of Agent Orange /Dioxin (VAVA) and other plaintiffs appealed the decision rendered on their class action suit against 30 US chemical companies. In March 2005, all counts of the lawsuit were dismissed in the United States District Court. In early September a team of US lawyers visited Vietnam to meet with the plaintiffs. According to attorney Jonathan Moore, the appeal alleges that the District Court misconstrued the facts of the case, by focusing on the use of Agent Orange as a herbicide. Moore said, "This herbicide was not simply a weed killer. It was a chemical laced with poisons that did not have to be there---and therefore we conclude that the chemical companies intentionally left that poison there." Oral arguments will take place in April at the Second Circuit Court of Appeals in New York.</p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><i>[Photo by Don North of Agent Orange exposed father with his disabled son in A Luoi valley.]</i><p></p> 727<p><a href="http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=i84pyrbab.0.0.gfa6ynbab.0&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ffrd.org%2Fagentorange.htm">Click here for FRD web pages on Agent Orange</a></p> 728<div><br>Agent Orange Victims Tour US</div> 729<div>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</div> 730<p>In November a delegation of Vietnamese Agent Orange victims embarked upon a month-long speaking tour of the United States, to raise awareness of the continuing impact of Agent Orange, urge support for the class action lawsuit, and encourage financial contributions for victims. The group visited ten cities, including New York, Washington and San Francisco. The delegation included Professor Nguyen Trang Nhan, Vice President of the Vietnam Association for Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin (and former President of the Vietnam Red Cross); two Agent Orange victims: Ho Sy Hai from northern Thai Binh province and Dang Thi Hong Nhut from Ho Chi Minh City; and Vu Binh of the Vietnam-USA Society. The tour was facilitated by the Vietnam Agent Orange Relief and Responsibility Campaign. During the Washington leg, the group were hosted at a policy forum co-sponsored by FRD and the Asian Studies Program of Georgetown University.</p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-heading" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>WASHINGTON</strong><strong> INDOCHINA UPDATE</strong><strong>Â </strong></p> 731<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>July-August, 2005</strong></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Early July was dominated by celebrations of the tenth anniversary of the normalization of U.S.-Vietnamese relations.In the second half of the month, Congress pushed toward the August recess with a reappearance of the Vietnam Human Rights Act and lower foreign assistance appropriations for Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.In the meantime, new legal life has been breathed into the Agent Orange issue as plaintiffs prepare an appeal for the class action lawsuit dismissed earlier this year.</strong></p> 732</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Diplomacy</span></strong></p> 733</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;"><strong>Hanoi</strong><strong> and Washington Celebrate Anniversary</strong></p> 734</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">The tenth anniversary of the normalization of relations between the United States and Vietnam was marked by the two countries with diplomatic and cultural events on both sides of the Pacific.In Washington, the Vietnamese embassy hosted an artistic performance that was repeated at the Smithsonianâs Freer and Sackler Galleries, before the troupe departed to perform in New York and San Francisco.Ceremonies at the Freer included an address by Jim R. Nicholson, US Secretary of Veterans Affairs and a Vietnam war veteran.Secretary Nicholson expressed his desire to return to Vietnam for a visit, and maintained that Vietnam and the United States âmust press forward to resolve the full range of issues that remain from the war.âIn that regard, however, Secretary Nicholson mentioned only continued accounting for American MIAâs as an item on that agenda.His speech can be read at<a href="http://www.va.gov/opa/feature/secyspchs/US-Vietnam-10%20years-07-10-05.htm">http://www.va.gov/opa/feature/secyspchs/US-Vietnam-10 years-07-10-05.htm</a>.</p> 735</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">
735In Hanoi, a series of events was capped by a reception featuring U.S. Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs Gordon Mansfield, also a Vietnam veteran; Vietnamâs Foreign Minister Nguyen Dy Nien; and U.S. Ambassador Mike Marine. (Ambassador Marineâs speech can be found at <a href="http://hanoi.usembassy.gov/wwwhamb050712.html">http://hanoi.usembassy.gov/wwwhamb050712.html</a>.)The reception, held at theMuseum of Fine Arts, also featured a photographic exhibit of works resulting from the partnership of Peter Steinhauer and Nguyen Hoai Linh.Vietnam Development Gateway reported that in an earlier meeting Deputy Chairman of the National Assembly Nguyen Phuc Thanh told Mansfield that âboth sides should take more efforts to solve the consequences of the war.âAt a press conference, Mansfield expressed confidence in the vigorous development of U.S.-Vietnam relations and noted that officials on both sides believed they would jointly resolve outstanding issues, emphasizing that âby being partners, the U.S. and Vietnam would gain more fruits of cooperation in the future.â</p> 736</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;"><strong>Zoellick Visits Vientiane</strong></p> 737</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">Robert Zoellick made his first official visit to Laos in his new capacity as Deputy Secretary of State July 27-29.He was the U.S. representative to the annual meeting of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), held in Vientiane on the heels of the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting.Laos is chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations this year.Zoellickâs attendance was the result of a controversial decision by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to skip the ARF gathering.The Rice no-show has variously been interpreted as a criticism of the ASEAN plan to allow Burma to take the chair in 2006 (although Rangoon officially withdrew from that responsibility at the Ministerial), and of ASEAN as a regional institution.There is no evidence that Rice intended to shun Laos itself, but analysts have pointed out she forfeited an opportunity to visit one of Asiaâs least-developed countries, at a time when the Bush administration had paid special attention to African LDCâs through the G-8 Summit debt package, and to Caribbean LDCâs through its support for the Caribbean Free Trade Area.</p> 738</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Human Rights and Political Development</span></strong></p> 739</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;"><strong>Vietnam</strong><strong> Human Rights Act Introduced for Third Time</strong></p> 740</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">On June 30 H.R.3190, the Vietnam Human Rights Act, was introduced into the House of Representatives by Representative Christopher Smith and a number of co-sponsors, including Frank Wolf, Dana Rohrabacher and Loretta Sanchez.The bill closely follows the format of its two predecessors (in 2001 and 2004), both of which passed in the House but failed to go forward in the Senate.The findings of the new bill acknowledge positive elements, such as the assertiveness of the Vietnamese National Assembly, but echo previous drafts with a primary emphasis on religious freedom issues and the Central Highlands.With regard to the latter area, the bill focuses on âindigenous Montagnards,â a term often employed by Westerners but seldom used by Vietnamese themselves.</p> 741</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">The billâs primary aim is to prohibit non-humanitarian US assistance to Vietnam unless the State Department certifies that specific markers have been met, but also includes funds for pro-democracy groups and increased support for Radio Free Asia.As in previous years, the bill would require the Department to submit an annual report to Congress on human rights in Vietnam and, in doing so, consult with Vietnamese and international non-governmental organizations.The bill has been referred to the House Committee on International Relations and is awaiting response from the Senate.</p> 742</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">Vietnam is also cross-hatched in H.R. 2216, known as the Global Internet Freedom Act, introduced into the House on May 10, 2005.Sponsored by Representative Christopher Cox, with co-sponsors including Tom Lantos and Gary Ackerman, the bill charges that the governments of several countries, including Vietnam, Laos,
742China and Saudi Arabia, take âactive measures to prevent their citizens from freely accessing the Internet and from obtaining international political, religious and economic news and information.âWith respect to Vietnam, some specialists object to the legislative language and maintain that it paints a misleading picture of categorical attempts to block access to the Internet for the general populationThe bill does not stipulate sanctions but proposes to establish an Office of Internet Freedom within the International Broadcasting Bureau to give greater attention to this issue.</p> 743</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">Although discussion of Vietnamese human rights on Capitol Hill will be dominated by these bills in the short-term, developments in other sectors could also influence the issue.The official U.S.-Vietnam human rights dialogue is scheduled to resume, at Hanoiâs request, in the early fall.In addition, Christopher Seiple, President of the Institute for Global Engagement, visited the Central Highlands in late June, on a visit to Vietnam and Laos.The Institute was established by Robert Seiple, the State Departmentâs first Ambassador-at-Large for Religious Freedom, and takes a pragmatic, country-specific approach to policy issues such as religious freedom.</p> 744</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;"><strong>ABA</strong><strong> Strengthens Ties with Laos</strong></p> 745</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">Representatives of the American Bar Association (ABA) visited Vientiane June 30-July 5 to discuss expanding cooperation with the Laotian judicial sector.Through its Asian Law Initiative, based in Bangkok, the ABA has focused on drafting and enforcing anti-corruption laws and codes in recent years.In April the National Assembly of Laos passed the countryâs first anti-corruption law.</p> 746</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Trade</span></strong></p> 747</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;"><strong>Vietnam</strong><strong> Approaches New Round of WTO Talks</strong></p> 748</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">This week Hanoi will participate in its ninth round of World Trade Organization negotiations in Geneva, in preparation for entry into the WTO.Vietnam expects to conclude several bilateral talks at what will be the last WTO round of the year before the Hong Kong meeting in December.Thusfar, negotiations have been completed with the European Union, Cuba,Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Singapore, and were conducted last week with Japan.Vietnamese officials have indicated that they are still aiming for admission this December, although talks are not yet complete with the United States, which is pressing for legal and service sector reforms.</p> 749</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">One key element of Vietnamâs accession to the WTO will be Congressional approval for Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) for Hanoi.Congress must grant PNTR to Vietnambefore it enters the WTO, or resort to a non-application clause of the WTO agreement which would enable Hanoi to enter prior to that, but with restrictions.If US-Vietnam WTO talks conclude in the ninth round, Congressional aides estimate that the PNTR bill, which would be referred to the House Ways and Means and the Senate Finance C
749ommittees, could be considered in late September or early October.The U.S.-Vietnam Trade Council has made additional information on the WTO/PNTR process available at<a href="http://uvtc.org/trade/WTO/PNTR%20_WTO_FAQ28July2005.pdf">http://uvtc.org/trade/WTO/PNTR%20_WTO_FAQ28July2005.pdf</a>.</p> 750</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;"><strong>Vietnamese Fish Win Taste Test</strong></p> 751</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">In July researchers at Mississippi State University released the results of a three-year study comparing Vietnamese basa (known in other quarters as catfish) to American farm-raised catfish.The two varieties of fish were found to have essentially the same nutritional value, but 75% of blind tasters picked Vietnamese basa over American catfish for taste.Basa is exported to the United States under tariffs as high as 64% after US catfish farmers brought an anti-dumping suit against Vietnam.The Catfish Farmers of America and the Catfish Institute, both Mississippi-based organizations, have criticized the study.</p> 752</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;"><strong>Congressional Leaders Laud Cambodian Labor Practices</strong></p> 753</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">Cambodiaâs linkage of ILO-monitored labor standards with trade drew bipartisan praise in a two-day July conference â âPromoting Cambodiaâs Competitiveness in a Post-MFA Worldâ -co-sponsored by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Global Fairness and Oxam America.Republican Senator Gordon Smith and Congressman Jim Kolbe, and Democratic Representative Sander Levin joined representatives of Gap, Nike, Target and Wal-Mart in affirming Cambodiaâs competitive advantage, due in part to its reputation for maintaining reasonable work place standards despite the termination of quota benefits under the Multi-Fiber Agreement last January.However, Cambodian Minister of Commerce Cham Prasidh noted that even a good reputation could not overcome the economic advantages of China and India.He appealed for passage of the Trade Act of 2005 which would giveCambodia, Laos and thirteen other least-developed Asian and Pacific countries the same low tariffs offered their economic counterparts in Africa, the Caribbean and Central America.For additional information, see âCambodia Blazes A New Path for Economic Growth and Job Creation,â by Carnegie Senior Associate Sandra Polaski, at<a href="http://www.carnegieendowment.org/publications/inde/cfm?fa=view&id=15891">http://www.carnegieendowment.org/publications/inde/cfm?fa=view&id=15891</a>.</p> 754</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Economic Development</span></strong></p> 755</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;"><strong>Funding Levels Drop for Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam</strong></p> 756</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">Bush Administration requests for development assistance through the US Agency for International Development for Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos in Fiscal Year 2006 are all lower than FY 2005 appropriations for these countries.FY 2006 levels are expected to be $44 million for Cambodia (versus $55 million in FY 2005 and $49 million in FY 2004); $17.72 million for Vietnam (a slight decline from $18.42 million in FY 2005) and nothing for Laos (down from $2 million in FY 2005).Laos, however, is likely to receive funds from regional USAID programs for the environment and human trafficking.</p> 757</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">Lower levels are most likely the reflection of greater Administration priorities elsewhere, in âfront lineâ states, such as Iraq and Afghanistan, and for the Millennium Challenge Account.Thusfar, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia are not eligible for MCA funds, although Vietnam could technically be designated as a âthresholdâ country (but has not been) by the administration.</p> 758</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">In substance, if not in funding levels, the Congressional appropriation for Cambodia this month closely followed the practice of previous years.Although the largest earmark for development assistance is for prevention of HIV/AIDS, funds are also allocated for political party development and other democracy programs.Assistance to basic education has dropped from $6 million in FY 2005 to $1.25 million for next year.As has been the case for the past several years, bilateral non-humanitarian assistance is prohibited, although there are numerous exceptions: for programs in HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, rule of law, counter-narcotics, human trafficking and anti-corruption.As in previous years, the Secretary of the Treasury is also directed to instruct the American representatives to international development banks to oppose loans for non-humanitarian purposes to Cambodia, but these efforts seldom, if ever, block funding.</p> 759</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Security</span></strong></p> 760</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;"><strong>Vietnam</strong><strong> Defense Staff to Visit PACOM</strong></p> 761</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">In September staff from the External Relations Division of the Vietnamâs Ministry of Defense will visit the US Pacific Command (PACOM) in Honolulu, the first-ever visit of Vietnamese officials to the US naval facility.The visit will also be the occasion for the second round of the U.S.-Vietnam security dialogue.Informal dialogue between the defense sectors of the two countries has been building in recent years, but last year regular and formal talks at the working level were initiated.The dialogue is intended to broaden and deepen defense relations that have been boosted in recent years by high-level visits at the ministerial level.</p> 762</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Legacy Issues</span></strong></p> 763</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;"><strong>VAVA Readies Agent Orange Appeal</strong></p> 764</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">The Vietnam Association of Victims of Agent Orange (VAVA) and other plaintiffs are preparing to file an appeal in their class action suit against 37 American chemical companies that manufactured Agent Orange and other defoliants used in the war in the 1960âs and 1970âs.The plaintiffsâ brief is to be filed in the Second Circuit Court of Appeals no later than September 30 of this year, and the defendants will have until January 16, 2006 to submit their brief.Oral arguments for the appeal will be scheduled no earlier than March 1, 2006.</p> 765</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">The lawsuit, brought before the Federal Court in New York in January, 2004 was dismissed on all counts on March 10, 2005.Parallel to the lawsuit, Vietnamese and international groups are seeking to raise awareness of Agent Orange damage as well as to increase contributions for Vietnamese Agent Orange victims.VAVA has declared August 10 as the annual Day for the Victims of Agent Orange.Extensive information on the lawsuit and other efforts to aid Vietnamese Agent Orange sufferers can be found on the Fundâs website at<a href="http://www.ffrd.org/agentorange.htm">http://www.ffrd.org/agentorange.htm</a>.</p> 766</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;"><strong>Rand Report Assesses Post-War Cambodian Stress</strong></p> 767</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">A report released by the Rand Corporation on August 3 revealed that almost two-thirds of the nationâs largest Cambodian-American community that left Cambodia in the late 1970âs suffer post-traumatic stress disorder.The study involved 490 adults, ranging in age from 35 to 70, who came to the United States as refugees.In this group, almost all of those interviewed reported experiencing near-death due to starvation; 90% had a friend or family member killed by the Khmer Rouge; and 54% said they had been tortured before coming to the U.S.</p> 768</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">Sixty-two per cent of those interviewed reported experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder since leaving Cambodia, and 51% said that have dealt with major depression in the past year.The studyâs findings contrast to the average rate of post-traumatic stress disorder in the U.S. population as a whole, which is estimated at 3%.Rand psychologist Grant Marshall, the studyâs main author, called the stress disorder and depression rates in the Cambodian-American community âshockingly high,â particularly since these disorders still manifest nearly thirty years after leaving Cambodia.Further information is available at <a href="http://www.rand.org/news/press/.05/08.02.html">http://www.rand.org/news/press/.05/08.02.html</a>.</p> 769</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;"><strong>New Document Releases Shed Light on Possible JFK Path</strong></p> 770</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">American and Polish cables and other documents from the 1960âs, newly uncovered by the National Security Archives of George Washington University and reported in the <em>Boston Globe</em> in June, reveal attempts to explore negotiations to end the Vietnam war by President John F. Kennedy and the Soviet Union through India and the U.S. Ambassador to New Delhi at the time, John Kennet
770h Galbraith.The 1962 and 1963 discussions ultimately were not fruitful.However, they have sparked another round of debate within the United States about whether President Kennedy would have avoided sending combat troops to Vietnam and would instead have relied upon a negotiated solution, a controversy which shows no sign of resolution.</p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-heading" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;"><strong>WASHINGTON INDOCHINA UPDATE</strong>       <strong>                             June 25, 2005</strong></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;"><strong><em>Events this month were dominated by the historic visit to the United States of Vietnamese Prime Minister Phan Van Khai, the first visit by a Vietnamese leader of that rank since the end of the Vietnam War. Several agreements were concluded during the visit, detailed below. </em></strong></p> 771</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Diplomacy and Bilateral Relations</span></strong></p> 772</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;"><strong>Khai Makes Landmark Visit</strong></p> 773</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">On June 20 â 25, Vietnamese Prime Minister Phan Van Khai visited the United States to mark the 10<sup>th</sup> anniversary of normalization of US-Vietnam relations. Khai was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan, several Ministers and Vice-Ministers, leaders of the National Assembly and nearly 100 members of the Vietnamese business community. The delegation visited Seattle, Washington, D.C., New York and Boston.</p> 774</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">On June 21, Prime Minister Khai met with President Bush in the White House. As a rule, meetings between heads of state are carefully scripted, and âdeliverablesâ are decided well ahead of time. The two governments announced accords on adoption; religious freedom; agriculture; cooperation on epidemiology; and intelligence-sharing and military training.  In addition, several American companies were granted licenses to operate in Vietnam. </p> 775</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">Beyond these concrete measures, President Bush affirmed the US support for Vietnamâs entry into the World Trade Organization in principle. The most recent round of bilateral WTO negotiations was concluded on June 17, and the next round will commence in July. Bush also confirmed that he planned to visit Vietnam in 2006, when Hanoi will host the APEC meeting.  (The âdeliverablesâ for the Bush visit to Vietnam will take as long as a year to plan and negotiate. Accordingly, FRD will produce a policy brief looking ahead to that process this July. The brief will be posted on the Fundâs website. <a href="http://www.ffrd.org/">www.ffrd.org</a>
775 )  On June 22, the Prime Minister and several delegation members met with Senate and House leaders on Capitol Hill. </p> 776</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">The delegation also had high-level contact with American business and non-governmental leaders, beginning with a meeting with Microsoft chairman Bill Gates in Seattle. In Washington and New York, the group was honored with dinners sponsored by trade councils comprised of American companies doing business in Vietnam, as well as a range of NGOâs. In New York, the Prime Minister and delegation members made a social call upon FRD Executive Director John McAuliff and his family at the home of Peter Yarrow, folksinger and activist.  In Boston, the group was received by the presidents of Harvard and M.I.T. on their respective campuses.</p> 777</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;"><strong>US-Vietnam Adoption Agreement Signed</strong></p> 778</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">President Bush and Prime Minister Khai signed an executive agreement to cooperate on measures for adoption of Vietnamese children that is expected to result in the lifting of the 2001 moratorium on adoptions. In recent years both governments have expressed caution that Vietnamese orphans and other children may be trafficked or exploited. In the late 1990âs the Vietnamese government began requiring countries to sign adoption agreements when criminal rings selling children to foreign adoption rings were exposed. In 2001 the US Immigration and Naturalization Service suspended adoptions from both Vietnam and Cambodia, following allegations of adoption fraud and baby-selling.</p> 779</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;"><strong>Crew Changes in State Departmentâs Asia Shop</strong></p> 780</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">The transition from the first to the second administration of President George W. Bush has brought a switch of Assistant Secretaries of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, from James Kelly in the first term to Christopher Hill in the second.  This, and the summertime rotation of career Foreign Service Officers, will invariably bring changes down the line. EAP Deputy Assistant Secretary for Southeast Asia, Marie Huhtala, has left her position and will be replaced in July by Eric John.   (Marie had a long relationship with and was highly regarded by NGOs.) James Gagnon, Office Director for the countries of mainland Southeast Asia (and a US Embassy officer in Saigon in April, 1975), will retire this summer; his replacement will be Scott Marciel, whose Southeast Asia experience includes a tour on the Laos desk in the early 1990s. In the field, US Ambassador to Cambodia Charles Ray will be finishing his term. The administration has nominated Joseph Mussomeli, presently Deputy Chief of Mission in Manila, to replace him.</p> 781</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Trade and Economic Development</span></strong></p> 782</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;"><strong>Khai Visit Boosts Business</strong></p> 783</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">During Prime Minister Khaiâs visit to the United States, there were numerous âdeliverablesâ on the business front as well. In the lead-up to the trip, Vietnam Air announced that it would purchase four Boeing 787 passenger jets. Vietnam Air also announced that it would open a direct flight to the United States in 2006.  Vietnam also signed a deal with Motorola to upgrade the countryâs cellular phone network.  In Seattle, Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates and Prime Minister Khai signed two Memoranda of Understanding, one specifying that Microsoft would help to develop Vietnamâs information technology businesses, and the other confirming that Microsoft would provide training in computers and software development for 50,000 Vietnamese teachers. Business licenses were also granted or promised to several American companies during the trip, including the insurance conglomerate, American Insurance Group.  AIG will be the first American insurance company licensed to sell non-casualty insurance (property, liability, marine and avian operations) in Vietnam.</p> 784</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;"><strong>Vietnam Rated as a Tourism Leader</strong></p> 785</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">The World Travel and Tourism Council, an organization of 100 of the largest tourism associations in the world, has predicted that Vietnam will be in the top ten nations in terms of tourism development in the next ten years. In recent years, tourism in Vietnam has grown 7-10% annually, compared to overall global growth in tourism of 5.4%. American tourism to Vietnam grows even faster, at a rate of 15-20% per year.</p> 786</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;"><strong>Lao Commerce Minister Leads Trade Delegation to United States</strong></p> 787</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">H.E. Soulivong Darivong, Minister of Commerce of Laos, led a study tour delegation from the Laotian business community to the U.S. May 11-17.  In the wake of Laos receiving Normal Trade Relations from the United States last year, an educational effort was needed to bring business and trade officials from the two countries together, to learn about each otherâs economic systems, explore business prospects, and strengthen bilateral cooperation in trade, investment and tourism.   The study tour, was organized by the Fund for Reconciliation and Development in close cooperation with Laotian Americans with a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation. It took the group to California, New York, Illinois, Minnesota and Washington, D.C. The delegation was received by local officials in the cities they visited, and by Representatives George Miller (D-CA) and Betty McCollum (D-MN), among others, in Washington.  Further details on the trip, photos and a copy of Minister Soulivongâs speech are posted on the FRD website.  www.ffrd.org/Laotrade.htm</p> 788</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Human Rights and Political Development</span></strong></p> 789</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;"><strong>Hanoi and Washington Sign Religious Freedom Accord</strong></p> 790</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">During their White House meeting, President Bush and Prime Minister Khai signed an accord on religious freedom, relating to the decision announced by Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick on May 5 in Hanoi, that the United States would not impose sanctions on Vietnam under the âCountry of Particular Concernâ framework. The agreement is the first accord on religious freedom signed by the United States and another country since the International Religious Freedom Act was passed in 1998. However, the US Government has not yet made the terms of the agreement public.  Analysts believe the agreement outlines measures that Vietnam expects to take in religious policy that will prevent the imposition of sanctions in future years. Vietnam hopes to have the CPC designation removed, although only Iraq has been dropped from the list thus far.</p> 791</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;"><strong>Smith Holds Congressional Hearings, Hints of New Bill</strong></p> 792</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">Representative Christopher Smith (R-NJ), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Human Rights and International Operations of the House International Relations Committee, convened a hearing on human rights in Vietnam on June 20, the day before the Bush-Khai meeting. Witnesses were Nina Shea, US Commission on International Religious Freedom; Minky Worden, Human Rights Watch; Helen Ngo, Committee for Religious Freedom in Vietnam; Nguyen Trang, Boat People S.O.S.; Vo Van Ai, Vietnam Committee on Human Rights; and Y Khim Nie, Montagnard Human Rights Committee. According to Congressman Smith, the State Department declined to provide testimony for the hearing. Earlier, Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS) and 44 other Members of Congress had sent a letter to President Bush urging him to pressure Khai on human rights.  The witnessesâ statements can be accessed on <a href="http://wwwc.house.gov/international_relations/ahear.htm">http://wwwc.house.gov/international_relations/ahear.htm</a>. Since all are established critics of Vietnam on human rights grounds, there was considerable overlap in their testimonies.</p> 793</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">At the hearing, Congressman Smith indicated that he intended to re-introduce the Vietnam Human Rights Act which, in its two previous incarnations (2001 and 2004) sought to sanction Vietnam.  Earlier efforts foundered in the Senate, and there is no obvious reason to conclude that the legislation will pass in that chamber this year, although it could be approved in the House, as it was before.   However, if the bill does not pass, Vietnamâs critics on Capitol Hill may attempt to inject human rights conditionality into the Congressional debate on granting Permanent Normal Trade Relations to Vietnam later in the year, as part of the process of approving Vietnamâs entry into the WTO.</p> 794</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;"><strong>State Department Issues Trafficking Report</strong></p> 795</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">On June 3 the State Department issued the 2005 Trafficking in Persons Report. Compared to the 2004 rankings, Vietnam and Laos improved their positions, while Cambodia w
795as ranked lower than the previous year.  Both Vietnam and Laos were removed from the Tier 2 Watch List and placed in the Tier 2 category, which indicates significant trafficking problems mitigated by government efforts to combat them.  The report noted that Vietnam issued a national plan to combat trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation in 2004; it also drew attention to the Taiwan bride trade in Vietnam, in which a large percentage of women who are trafficked to Taiwan are done so through fraudulent offers of marriage. Laos is praised for passing the Law on Women in 2004, which criminalizes trafficking in persons. However, the report suggests that the central government establish a mechanism to identify trafficking victims until the new law is enforced more effectively at the local level. Cambodia was moved to Tier 3 in 2005, which could make it eligible for sanctions. The report cited government failure to indict traffickers and officials complicit in trafficking as one reason for downgrading the countryâs status. All Southeast Asian countries were classified as either Tier 2 or Tier 3; none was rated as Tier 1, which indicates the State Departmentâs assessment that a countryâs government complies with minimum standards to combat trafficking. The full report can be accessed at <a href="http://www.state.gov/g/tip/rls/tiprpt/2005">http://www.state.gov/g/tip/rls/tiprpt/2005</a>.</p> 796</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;"><strong>Khmer Rouge Tribunal Reaches Critical Funding Level</strong></p> 797</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">In late April, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan announced that financial requirements for the Cambodian Khmer Rouge tribunal had been met, and that the United Nations-Cambodian Tribunal Agreement was in force. This month the Cambodian government accepted a Japanese proposal to fund the bulk of Cambodiaâs share of the tribunal budget, removing another significant obstacle. The United States continues to decline to fund the tribunal.  At the initiative of Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Congress has extended the prohibition for funds into Fiscal Year 2005. For a detailed analysis of the issue, see FRD Policy Brief #1, âThe Khmer Rouge Tribunal: Options for the United States and the International Community,â available on the Fundâs website <a href="http://www.ffrd.org/">www.ffrd.org</a> .</p> 798</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Security</span></strong></p> 799</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;"><strong>Hanoi and Washington Open IMET Window, Strengthen Cooperation on Counter-Terrorism</strong></p> 800</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">Prime Minister Khaiâs Washington schedule included a meeting with US Defense Secretary Rumsfeld. The meeting produced a landmark agreement in principle to include Vietnamese participants in the US International Military Education and Training (IMET) program. Precise training areas are still under discussion. The two governments also agreed to increase intelligence-sh
800aring in the areas of counter-terrorism and broader transnational crime. The US-Vietnam security relationship is moving forward slowly but steadily. For example, in May the US Army/Pacific and the Logistics General Department of the Peopleâs Army of Vietnam co-hosted the 15<sup>th</sup> Asia-Pacific Military Medicine Conference in Hanoi.</p> 801</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Legacy Issues</span></strong></p> 802</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;"><strong>Cambodian Insurgent Arrested</strong></p> 803</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">On June 1, Yasith Chhun, the President of the Cambodian Freedom Fighters, a California-based organization with the declared objective of seizing control in Cambodia, was arrested in Long Beach. He was charged with conspiracy to kill in a foreign country; conspiracy to damage or destroy property in a foreign country; and engaging in a military operation against a country with which the United States is at peace.  The group is charged with forming âOperation Volcano,â to launch a military strike against the Cambodian Ministry of Defense, the Council of Ministers, and a military headquarters facility on November 24, 2000. With his wife, Chhun is also charged with running a fraudulent tax preparation business. The charges resulted from a joint investigation of the FBI and the IRS.</p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-heading" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>WASHINGTON</strong><strong> UPDATE</strong></p> 804<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>May 10, 2005</strong></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;"><strong>This issue marks the return of the Fundâs monthly Washington Update, to report on and analyze events and trends in U.S. relations with Vietnam, Cambodiaand Laos.The Update is one element of the Fundâs Washington policy dialogue program, made possible by generous support from The Henry Luce Foundation and managed by <span>FRDâs</span> Washington Representative, Catharin Dalpino.Comments and suggestions can be directed to <a href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a>.</strong></p> 805</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Diplomacy</span></strong></p> 806</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;"><strong>Anniversary Summitry</strong></p> 807</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">As the United States and Vietnam approach the tenth anniversary of the normalization of relations in July, two high-level visits are in train<span>..</span>State Department Deputy Secretary Robert <span>Zoellick</span> visited Vietnam May 6-7, as part of his first tour of Southeast Asia (which also included Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines) in his new position.As U.S. Trade Representative in the first term of the Bush administration, <span>Zoellick</span> oversaw implementation of the US-Vietnam Bilateral Trade Agreement.</p> 808</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">The <span>Zoellick</span> trip was designed in part to build upon the momentum of US relief to the December tsunami.On a deeper level, <span>Zoellick</span> has also raised the issue of increasing competition between the United States and China in Southeast Asia - his early lap of the region is intended to signal a more activist American policy.He drew a direct connection between US-Sino competition and relations with Vietnam when he was quoted in the <em>Washington Post</em> as saying that â[The Vietnamese] want to have a very good and strong relationship because they donât want to be totally dependent on China.âWhile few Vietnam analysts would foresee a scenario of such dependence, <span>Zoellick</span> was probably referring more broadly to Chinaâs growing role in Southeast Asia.Economists estimate that in 2005 the volume of ASEAN trade with China will eclipse that of US-ASEAN trade for the first time.</p> 809</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">During his Hanoi visit, <span>Zoellick</span> issued an official invitation to Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Van <span>Khai</span> to visit the United States, the first U.S. visit of a Vietnamese Prime Minister after 1975.A full itinerary is still being under discussion, but Prime Minister <span>Khai</span> is scheduled to meet with President Bush on June 21.In June FRD will publish a policy brief on issues in the US-Vietnam relationship, keyed to the Prime Ministerâs visit.The brief will also be available on the Fundâs website.</p> 810</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">(FRD will place a selection of the best articles and reflections about the 30<sup>th</sup> anniversary on its web site <a href="http://www.ffrd.org/anniversary">www.ffrd.org/anniversary</a>. Suggestions are welcome.)</p> 811<p style="text-align: start;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Trade and Economic Development</span></strong></p> 812</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;"><strong>Normal Trade Relations Granted for Laos</strong></p> 813</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">On November 19, 2004 US Normal Trade Relations for Laos was approved as a rider on the Miscellaneous Trade Bill (MTB).Seven years in the making, NTR status for Laos was largely the result of greater organization of support by members of the Laotian-American community on this issue in recent years.It was as well a bipartisan effort in Congress, with Democratic House Representatives Betty McCollum and the late Robert Matsuiâs introduction of stand-alone legislation (HR 3195) which, although unsuccessful, served to put the issue formally on the Congressional agenda.</p> 814</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">In <span>Fall</span> 2004, the measure survived attempts by Wisconsin Senators Herb Kohl and Russell Feingold to place holds on the MTB, which would have prevented its approval before Congress adjourned.Senators Charles Grassley and Max Baucus, Senate Finance C
814ommittee chair and ranking member respectively, were able to push the measure through by cloture vote.However, as a companion to the vote, the Senate passed Resolution 475, expressing concern about human rights conditions inLaos.Normal Trade Relations status was ratified by the Lao PDR National Assembly in February 2005, and the arrangement went into effect shortly thereafter.</p> 815</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">FRD is coordinating the first visit to the US by a trade and tourism delegation led by Minister or Commerce <span>Soulivong</span> <span>Daravong</span>, working in close cooperation with Lao and <span>Hmong</span>-Americans and with support from the Rockefeller Foundation.The delegation will hold meetings in Fresno California, New York City,Washington DC,
815Chicago<span>, Â St. Paul </span>Minnesota and San Francisco between May 12 and 27</p> 816</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">(For more information, visit <a href="http://www.ffrd.org/laos.html">http://www.ffrd.org/laos.html</a> )</p> 817</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;"><strong>Nam</strong><strong> <span>Theun</span> II Dam Guarantees Approved</strong></p> 818</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">In late February the World Bank agreed to provide $50 million as a partial loan guarantee to allow the Nam <span>Theun</span> II dam project in Laos to go forward.The project, which is expected to cost $1.3 billion, is led by <span>Electricite</span> de France and will enable Laos to sell electricity to Thailand under a guaranteed contract that is expected to provide Laos with $2 billion a year for 25 years.One pressure upon the Bank to approve the guarantees was the perception that China would help finance the project if the Bank did not.</p> 819</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">Prior to the approval, Bank officials had expressed concern about whether proceeds from sale of the damâs electricity would be applied to development needs inLaos.The government has pledged that revenues will be spent on education, health and rural development and, as one condition for the guarantees<span>,has</span> agreed to an external audit of the use of proceeds.The Bank has also imposed conditions on external <span>funders</span> of the project, who must provide housing for 6,000 people who will be dislocated when the Nam <span>Theun</span> river is dammed, and pay compensation to an estimated 40,000 people who fish the <span>Xe</span> Bang <span>Fai</span> river and whose livelihood will be affected when the Nam <span>Theun</span> is diverted to the <span>Xe</span> Bang <span>Fai</span>.</p> 820</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;"><strong>US-Vietnam Flights Inaugurated</strong></p> 821</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">On December 10, 2004 United Airlines opened the first commercial US route to Vietnam when UA Flight #869, originating in San Francisco,landed in Ho Chi<span>Minh</span> City, on the third anniversary of the US-Vietnam Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA).Because the flight went through Hong Kong, it was not technically a direct route.However, Vietnam Airlines plans to inaugurate direct flights to the United States in late 2005 or early 2006.The International Air Transport Association estimates that the air travel industry in Vietnam will grow by 10.5% per year for the year ten years.From 1988-1999, it grew 29.5%.The United flight was symbolic not only of reconciliation between the United States and Vietnam, but also of the dynamism in trade between the two countries.Bilateral trade is expected to exceed $6 billion in 2005, and the United States has become Vietnamâs largest export market.</p> 822</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;"><strong>Vietnam</strong><strong> Moves Closer to WTO Entry</strong></p> 823</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">With the dramatic expansion of US-Vietnam trade since the BTA went into effect in late 2001, the United States and Vietnam are now negotiating Washingtonapproval for Vietnamâs entry into the World Trade Organization.Vietnam applied for WTO membership in 1995, and hopes to enter by the end of this year.Trade officials from the two countries held a series of negotiations in 2004, and Hanoi is hopeful these can be concluded with a final round this May.<span>Thusfar</span>, Vietnam has completed talks with 6 out of 27 trading partners.(Some negotiations â with the EU, Brazil and Singapore â have required only one or tw
823o rounds to complete).To enter in 2005, all negotiations will have to finish by the fall, to enable the WTO secretariat to complete entry procedures.</p> 824</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">However, trade analysts point out that some 89 laws will have to be drafted or amended to bring Vietnamâs legal system into compliance with the WTO framework.Some Vietnamese economists have expressed fears that dismantling export subsidies too quickly to enter the WTO could cause Vietnamese products to be less competitive in the international market.On the other hand<span>,the</span> Vietnamese textile industry is liable to suffer the longer Vietnam remains outside the WTO, since textile quotas were abolished for WTO members on January 1 of this year.The garment industry in Vietnam employs approximately 25% of the industrial labor force and accounts for $4.5 billion in exports, roughly half of which go to the United States.</p> 825</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;"><strong>Legislation <span>Under</span> Consideration for Asian âLeft Behindâ Countries</strong></p> 826</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;"><strong>A</strong>lthough already a WTO member, Cambodia stands to feel the brunt of the abolition of textile quotas even more.Compared to Vietnam, Cambodiaâs export sector is not well-diversified, and is heavily concentrated in textiles.Eighty percent of Cambodiaâs textile exports go to the United States.Laos has announced its intention to join the World Trade Organization, but the state of its textile export industry is even more fragile than Cambodiaâs.The absence of Normal Trade Relations with the United States has not allowed Laos to develop a strong export <span>connection so</span> the abolition of WTO textile quotas is more likely to inhibit the development of an export sector with the United States than to hurt existing trade. Moreover, with designations as least-developed-countries (<span>LDCâs</span>), Laos and Cambodia are both disadvantaged by the trade preferences given to <span>LDCâs</span> in other regions.In fact, Asian and Pacific <span>LDCâs</span> are the only ones not protected by a regional trade preference regime in their trade with the United States.<span>These</span> Asian <span>LDCâs</span> have been informally labeled the âleft behindâ countries.</p> 827</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">To address this inequity, Congress is considering a bill to extend trade preferences on some apparel items to Asiaâs least-developed-countries.S191, sponsored by Senator Gordon Smith and co-sponsored by Senators Baucus, Hutchison, Santorum, Feinstein and McCain, was introduced in late January.HR 886, sponsored by Representative Jim Kolbe, was introduced in February.Both bills are presently under consideration in committee.The bill would extend preferences to Cambodia,Laos, Afghanistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Kiribati, the Maldives, Nepal, Samoa, Solomon Islands, East Timor, Vanuatu, Yemen and Sri Lanka.Afghanistan <span>( because</span> of the war against terrorism) and Sri Lanka (because of tsunami relief) are likely to buoy the billâs prospects.Nepal, with a high degree of internal instability, could be an obstacle.No specific comment on either Laos or Cambodia has yet been n
827oted in relation to the proposed legislation.</p> 828</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Human Rights and Political Development</span></strong></p> 829</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;"><strong>United Nations Signals Launch of Khmer Rouge Tribunal</strong></p> 830</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">In late April the United Nations announced that legal requirements had been met to enable a war crimes tribunal for surviving leaders of the Khmer Rouge to go forward.The tribunal represents a unique form of mixed national-international judicial body, the first internationalized exercise to give majority control of the legal proceedings to the government on whose territory the offenses were committed.The tribunal is estimated to cost $56.3 million over a three-year period, $21 million of which has been pledged by Japan.Cambodia is expected to contribute $13 million.Although the United States played a major role in bringing the tribunal to fruition, funding for it is presently prohibited under a Congressional ban initiated by Senator Mitch McConnell.FRD will publish a policy brief on the Khmer Rouge tribunal in May, which will be available on the Fundâs website.</p> 831</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;"><strong>State Places Vietnam on CPC List <span>But</span> Declines to Impose Sanctions</strong></p> 832</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">On September 15, 2004, the State Department designated Vietnam as a âcountry of particular concernâ (CPC) under the Religious Freedom Act of 1998.Saudi Arabia and Eritrea were also new designees for 2004, joining China, Sudan, Iran, North Korea and Myanmar.The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) had campaigned to have Vietnam added to the CPC list since 2001.However, the addition of Vietnam in 2004 puzzled many observers, since the State Department freely admitted that the status of religious freedom in Vietnam had âremained fundamentally unchangedâ in the past year.This suggests that the decision to name Vietnam a CPC was due more to tensions in the bilateral relationship on this issue or domestic political pressures in the US than to actual dynamics on the ground in Vietnam.Some analysts have speculated that the State Department move was intended to head off Congressional sanctions on Vietnam in the last Congress under the Vietnam Human Rights Act then under consideration.More likely, the designation was viewed as a means of increasing Washingtonâs leverage over Hanoi on an issue of growing importance in the American political environment.</p> 833</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">Under the CPC framework, fifteen measures are specified for Presidential action, although none are mandatory.These range from private demarches, to the cancellation of diplomatic visits, to votes to deny loans and credits to a CPC country in international financial institutions. (Further information on the CPC process can be found on the FRD website by clicking on âReligious Freedom Debate.â)By law the State Department had six months to decide upon one or more actions, but on March 15 the Department requested an extension for Vietnam (as well as Saudi Arabia and Eritrea).In the meantime, the USCIR pressed State to impose travel sanctions on Vietnamese leaders suspected of violating religious freedom.</p> 834</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">Despite this urging, the State Department announced on May 5 that it will not impose sanctions on Vietnam under the CPC framework this year.This is most likely because of several developments in Vietnam in <span>recentmonths</span> that demonstrate greater religious freedom.Most important was the promulgation of a new religious code, which could lead to legal recognition of additional Buddhist and Protestant groups. As well, in January, two of Vietnamâs most high-profile dissidents, Roman Catholic priest Thaddeus Nguyen Van Ly and physician Nguyen Dan <span>Que</span>, were released from detention along with 8000 other prisoners in the <span>Tet</span> amnesty.Also notable was the return of Buddhist leader <span>Thich</span> <span>
834Nhat</span> <span>Hanh</span> to Vietnam after a 38-year-long absence.<span>Nhat</span> <span>Hanh</span> arrived in Vietnam in January, accompanied by 200 followers, on a four-month visa which allowed him to teach.The government also granted permission for four of his books to be published.</p> 835</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">Although Vietnam has avoided sanctions this year, it will remain a designated âcountry of particular concern,â and the USCIRF will doubtless press for sanctions and other punitive measures.To date, the only country to have been removed from the CPC list was Iraq in 2003, after the American invasion.</p> 836</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">(See also <a href="http://www.ffrd.org/Religious%20Freedom.htm">http://www.ffrd.org/Religious%20Freedom.htm</a> )</p> 837</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;"><strong>Omnibus Democracy Bill Would Impact V/L/C</strong></p> 838</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">In March Congress received draft legislation for a sweeping democracy promotion policy.If passed, the Advance Democratic Values, Address <span>Nondemocratic</span>Countries and Enhance Democracy Act of 2005 (known in shorthand as the Advance Democracy Act) would represent the most comprehensive democracy measure to date.Senator John McCain introduced the Act into the Senate (S516), while Frank Wolf is its main sponsor in the House (HR 1133), along with Representatives Chris Smith, Nancy Pelosi, Patrick Kennedy, Tom Lantos, Howard Berman and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen.</p> 839</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">The major provisions of the bill include a requirement that (1) the State Department submit an annual Democracy Report to Congress which categorizes countries according to their degree of democratic government; (2) the United States attempt to establish Democracy Caucuses in every international organization to which it belongs; (3) American chiefs of mission in <span>nondemocratic</span> countries devise strategies to encourage democratization; (4) the United States urge the establishment of Helsinki Committees in every region; (5) the State Department establish âbeachheadâ countries in each region to encourage the spread of democracy; and (6) the White House create the position of Director for <span>Nondemocratic</span> Countries in the National Security Council.The proposed legislation also lists measures the President may take to criticize or sanction <span>nondemocratic</span> countries, and would increase funding for democracy promotion.</p> 840</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">The State Department tends to resist new reporting requirements categorically, and could rightly point out than an annual Democracy Report could overlap significantly with the annual Human Rights Reports.A formal process of categorization will prove problematic for several reasons, and political considerations are likely to create built-in conflicts and inconsistencies.If the bill is approved, it is likely that the State Department will follow the lead of groups such as Freedom House and categorize Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia as â<span>nondemocratic</span>â countries.Freedom House has consistently ranked these three countries as ânot free,â the lowest category.However, bills as broad and encompassing as this are often <span>cutdown</span> to smaller size in the legislative process.</p> 841</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Legacy Issues</span></strong></p> 842</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;"><strong>Prospects for Assistance to Agent Orange Victims Worsen</strong></p> 843</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">Two efforts to resolve the issue of the continued impact of Agent Orange on Vietnam foundered in March.Judge Jack Weinstein of the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York dismissed a 2004 class action suit against American manufacturers of Agent Orange and other defoliants brought by the Vietnamese Association for Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin (VAVA) and individuals whose disabilities were believed to have resulted from exposure to dioxin.Judge Weinstein had also made the ruling on Agent Orange lawsuits brought by American Vietnam War veterans twenty years ago.Those suits were also dismissed, but the decision was crafted in ways to encourage the parties to come to an out of court settlement.Legal analysts point to significant differences between the two cases, one being that the Vietnamese plaintiffs were suing under the Alien Tort Claims Act, which allows foreign citizens to recover damages for violations of international human rights, a different standard than the product liability basis for the Veteransâ case. Judge Weinstein did not find that Agent Orange poisoning fit the definition of crimes against humanity.Moreover, he did not believe that sufficient proof existed of a connection between Agent Orange and the plaintiffsâ injuries.(Extensive analysis of Judge Weinsteinâs decision and other aspects of the Agent Orange issue can be found on the FRD website <a href="http://www.ffrd.org/agentorange.htm">http://www.ffrd.org/agentorange.htm</a> )<span>
843Luu</span> van <span>Dat</span>, lawyer and VAVA Central Committee member, believes that the plaintiffsâ appeal will be considered in June.</p> 844</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">Ironically, the same month the US-Vietnam joint research project on Agent Orange, which might have provided data on a connection between Agent Orange and disabilities, was cancelled.Under the 2002 Memorandum of Understanding between the two governments, the research was to focus on the percentage of the Vietnamese population with levels of dioxin exposure; the impact of Agent Orange on the environment; and identification and remediation of AO âhot spotsâ where chemicals may still be seeping into the soil.Accounts vary on the reasons for the cancellation, but observers generally agree that the project did not proceed as quickly as hoped.Washington-based State Department officials reject charges by some scientists of deliberate cancellation, and indicate that project funding simply lapsed before it could be spent.This implies that the project could be resumed if funding were restored.</p> 845</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">On a more positive note, in April folksinger and activist Peter Yarrow visited Vietnam and became the first American celebrity to draw attention to Vietnamese victims of Agent Orange.Yarrow gave a concert cosponsored by FRD and the Ministry of Culture and Information at the Hanoi Opera <span>House to</span> benefit the Vietnamese Association for the Victims of Agent Orange.The March 2005 issue of <em>Critical Asian Studies</em> also highlighted the Agent Orange issue <span>witha</span> cover story and photo essay on Vietnamese children whose disabilities are linked to dioxin exposure.</p> 846</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;"><strong>Flag Resolution Bill in California Assembly</strong></p> 847</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">To date, some 80 US localities and 8 states have adopted resolutions that designate the flag used in the southern Vietnamese provinces from 1954 to 1975 as the one to be flown at local events that include Vietnamese- Americans.These resolutions were promoted by local Vietnamese-American groups, with political support from the California-based Vietnamese-American Public Affairs Committee (VPAC).Although it is official US policy to recognize the government in Hanoi as the legitimate authority in Vietnam, and therefore to recognize the Vietnamese flag, local entities have been able to sidestep this issue by labeling the southern flag the âFreedom and Heritage Flag,â thereby stripping it of national connotation, and specifying that it be used for activities involving Vietnamese-Americans.</p> 848</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-block-item s-repeatable-item s-block-sortable-item s-blog-post-section blog-section"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-section-inner"><div class="s-component s-text "><div class=""><div class="s-component-content s-font-body" style="white-space:pre-wrap"><p style="text-align: start;">A draft resolution in the California State Assembly will, if passed, be the most comprehensive of these local initiatives.SCR-17, introduced in the 2005-2006 session, would urge the state to give formal recognition to the southern flag as the âsymbolic flagâ of the Vietnamese-American community, for use in state-sponsored or state-controlled events.More than 430,000 Vietnamese-Americans live in California.However, testimony by some Vietnamese-American witnesses against the resolution has created a delay in the billâs passage.Before further consideration, committee leaders have instructed the billâs sponsors, one of whom is Republican State Assemblyman Van Tran, to draft language reflecting a greater diversity of views within the Vietnamese-American community about the resolution.</p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="s-blog-footer s-font-body s-blog-body"><div class="s-blog-footer-inner" style="padding-bottom:100px"><div class="container"><div class="sixteen columns"><div class="s-blog-footer-nav"><span class="s-blog-footer-btn s-blog-footer-previous s-blog-footer-previous-whole-width"><a target="_self" href="https://www.ffrd.org/blog/washington-updates-2003" rel="nofollow" aria-label="Previous Post"><span class="entypo-left-open-big fixed-hidden"></span>Previous</a><div><a target="_self" href="https://www.ffrd.org/blog/washington-updates-2003" rel="nofollow" aria-label="Washington Updates: 2003" class="s-blog-nav-title s-font-title s-blog-title">Washington Updates: 2003</a></div></span></div><div 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1103<script type='text/javascript'> 1104var _gaq = _gaq || []; 1105 1106/* load errorception */ 1107var errorceptionKey = $S.blogPostData.pageMeta.errorceptionKey && $S.blogPostData.pageMeta.errorceptionKey.replace(/[^0-9a-zA-Z]+/g, ''); 1108var _errs=[errorceptionKey];(function(a,b){a.onerror=function(){_errs.push(arguments)}; 1109var d=function(){var a=b.createElement("script"),c=b.getElementsByTagName("script")[0]; 1110a.src=decodeURIComponent("//beacon.errorception.com/"+errorceptionKey+".js");a.async=!0; 1111c.parentNode.insertBefore(a,c)};a.addEventListener?a.addEventListener("load",d,!1): 1112a.attachEvent("onload",d)})(window,document); 1113 1114// configuration for keen.io 1115var Keen=Keen||{configure:function(e){this._cf=e},addEvent:function(e,t,n,i){this._eq=this._eq||[],this._eq.push([e,t,n,i])},setGlobalProperties:function(e){this._gp=e},onChartsReady:function(e){this._ocrq=this._ocrq||[],this._ocrq.push(e)}};(function(){var e=document.createElement("script");e.type="text/javascript",e.async=!0,e.src=("https:"==document.location.protocol?"https://":"http://")+"d26b395fwzu5fz.cloudfront.net/2.1.2/keen.min.js";var t=document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0];t.parentNode.insertBefore(e,t)})(); 1116 1117// Configure the Keen object with your Project ID and (optional) access keys. 1118Keen.configure({ 1119projectId: $S.blogPostData.pageMeta.keenioProjectId, 1120writeKey: $S.blogPostData.pageMeta.keenioWriteKey // required for sending events 1121}); 1122// Tracking user sites in Strikingly property 1123window.loadBlogAnalyticsJS = function(){ 1124 (function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){i['GoogleAnalyticsObject']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){ 1125 (i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o), 1126 m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m) 1127 })(window,document,'script','//www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js','__ga'); 1128 __ga('create', $S.blogPostData.pageMeta.gaTrackingId, { 1129 'name':'strk', 1130 'cookieDomain':'auto', 1131 'cookieExpires': 365 * 24 * 60 * 60, 1132 }); 1133 __ga('set', 'anonymizeIp', true) 1134 __ga('strk.send', 'pageview', { 'anonymizeIp': true }); 1135} 1136// Google Analytics (Universal) Setup 1137let blogCookieNotificationArea = undefined; 1138let isShowBlogCookieNotification = undefined; 1139const isBlogEuVisitor = getCookieItem('__strk_cookie_eu_visitor') === 'true' 1140if ($S && $S.blogPostData && $S.blogPostData.pageData) { 1141 blogCookieNotificationArea = $S.blogPostData.pageData.cookieNotificationArea; 1142 isShowBlogCookieNotification = $S.blogPostData.pageData.showCookieNotification; 1143} 1144if (!isShowBlogCookieNotification || (isShowBlogCookieNotification && blogCookieNotificationArea === 'eu' && !isBlogEuVisitor)) { 1145 window.loadBlogAnalyticsJS(); 1146} else { 1147 (function(i,r){i['GoogleAnalyticsObject']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){ 1148 (i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date(); 1149 })(window,'__ga'); 1150} 1151</script>
vendor: 1 bytes, line 1151
1151
1152<script src="//cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/jquery/3.7.1/jquery.min.js" defer="defer"></script>
vendor: 1 bytes, line 1152
1152
1153<script src="https://static-assets.strikinglycdn.com/i18n-2ace11ac644d0b40fb8b7cb65e9dd1e553022750e0254118dacbe1fe50735e97.js" defer="defer"></script>
vendor: 1 bytes, line 1153
1153
1154<script> 1155 function downloadJSAtOnload(link, callback) { 1156 var element = document.createElement("script"); 1157 element.src = link; 1158 element.defer = true; 1159 document.body.appendChild(element); 1160 element.onload = function() { 1161 callback && callback(); 1162 } 1163 } 1164 var sourceLink = "https://static-assets.strikinglycdn.com/webpack/light_blog_show-site-bundle.db521bd4598d524f40c2.js" 1165 // In order to load the page faster on mobile, render blog_show-site-bundle 1166 if (window.innerWidth <= 727) { 1167 sourceLink = "https://static-assets.strikinglycdn.com/webpack/blog_show-site-bundle.badf16f41d0e30f01440.js" 1168 } 1169 downloadJSAtOnload(sourceLink) 1170</script>
1170 1171<!-- CUSTOM_CODE_START --> 1172<!-- CUSTOM_CODE_END --> 1173<noscript><link rel="stylesheet" media="print" href="https://static-fonts-css.strikinglycdn.com/css?family=Bitter:400,700,400italic|Caladea:regular,italic,700,700italic|Varela+Round:regular&subset=latin,latin-ext&display=swap" as="style" onload="this.media='all'"></noscript> 1174<noscript><link rel="stylesheet" media="screen" href="https://static-assets.strikinglycdn.com/v4/blog.show.92cca7a98155297a4ea9.bundle.css"></noscript> 1175<noscript><link rel="stylesheet" media="screen" href="https://static-assets.strikinglycdn.com/themes/fresh/main_v4.1d28a2db0ac7055de066.bundle.css"></noscript> 1176</body> 1177</html>
Line numbers count LF bytes from the start of the resource, as the search results do. Vendor segments are library code the classifier recognised; they are stored but not indexed. Bytes are shown as Latin1 characters, one per byte.