*Detente Between US, Vietnam Has Consequences For Cambodia* BY MORTON SKLAR <https://www.cambodiadaily.com/author/morton-sklar/> | JULY 10, 2015 *HTTPS://WWW.CAMBODIADAILY.COM/OPINION/DETENTE-BETWEEN-US-VIETNAM-HAS-CONSEQUENCES-FOR-CAMBODIA-87819/* <https://www.cambodiadaily.com/opinion/detente-between-us-vietnam-has-consequences-for-cambodia-87819/>
The visit to the U.S. of Nguyen Phu Trong, head of the Communist Party of Vietnam, and his meetings this week with U.S. President Barack Obama and key members of Congress, is laying the foundation for a normalization of relations between the two countries, beginning to resolve some long-lasting aftereffects from the Second Indochina War—such as remedying the impacts of Agent Orange chemical weapons attacks—and securing Vietnam’s support for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement. No one can dispute that these are commendable goals, in principle. At the same time, in Mr. Obama’s rush to promote the TPP trade agreement, and implement the “Asia tilt” for U.S. foreign policy, a host of major concerns of special importance for the U.S., and for Cambodia, have been given very short shrift. Mr. Obama gave a brief nod in his talks with Mr. Trong to Vietnam’s serious human rights abuses, but completely ignored several other issues closely related to core commitments to fair trade practices and rule of law—issues that have particular significance for Cambodia. On the human rights front, Vietnam continues its long-standing pattern of major abuses directed against anyone criticizing of the government or promoting democratic reforms, according to recent reports by the U.S. State Department and Human Rights Watch (HRW). A 2014 world report from HRW says “the human rights situation in Vietnam [has] deteriorated significantly, worsening a trend evident for several years,” with “long prison terms for many peaceful activists whose ‘crime’ was calling for political change.” Another major human rights issue that deserves attention is Hanoi’s treatment of its indigenous ethnic minority groups, which are systematically repressed to prevent their political opposition—persecution HRW says is responsible for more than 100 Montagnard asylum seekers fleeing into Cambodia over the past year. With respect to trade and economic issues, gaining Vietnam’s support for the TPP agreement is of paramount importance for the Obama administration. In his fights over the TPP with Congress, the U.S. president has given his assurance that worker and consumer rights will be adequately protected in the pact. But Vietnam’s actions in Cambodia strongly suggest that these promises will prove hollow. In factories and plantations in Cambodia owned and operated by the Vietnamese government and their puppet companies, unlawful land evictions to foster development plans have been rampant, and worker rights and health protections have frequently been ignored to keep costs down. London-based environmental group Global Witness in 2013 issued the report “Rubber Barons: How Vietnamese Companies and International Financiers Are Driving a Land Grabbing Crisis in Cambodia and Laos,” which explained in graphic detail how Vietnamese companies are unlawfully displacing thousands of landowners to establish their plantations without providing adequate compensation or relocation assistance. Partly as a result of these abuses, expanded trade with Vietnam and its trade partners will allow American consumers to purchase cheaper Asian products, thus benefitting from unfair trade and human rights practices, despite Mr. Obama’s assurances to the contrary. Finally, Vietnam’s push for clean-up efforts in the areas most adversely affected by U.S. Agent Orange attacks, and for the payment of compensation to those who have experienced health problems associated with the toxins, have been a major element in Mr. Trong’s negotiations with Mr. Obama and with members of Congress. What is ironic is that Vietnam, at the same time they are making these requests, have been spraying chemical herbicide on crops and farmland in territories that are part of ongoing border disputes with Cambodia, aimed at forcing the Cambodian farmers in the area to leave. Obviously, Vietnam’s chemical spraying along the Cambodian border is nowhere near the scope and nature of the massive use of Agent Orange in the region by the U.S., but it still involves prohibited use of chemical agents for unlawful purposes, and as such may well violate Chemical Weapons Convention standards. Vietnam is placing itself in a very embarrassing position when it seeks reparations for chemical weapons violations by the U.S. at the same time that it is engaging in these practices. Equally important from Cambodia’s point of view, the government in Phnom Penh should not be complicit in Vietnam’s abuses by failing to protect worker rights in Vietnamese-owned factories, granting massive land concessions to Vietnamese rubber and sugar companies, and failing to protect Cambodians being attacked in the border areas, including members of parliament. As the U.S. moves forward with its efforts to promote economic trade with Asia, and to give more prominence to Asian elements of its foreign policy as a counter-balance to China’s influence, it will be important to monitor whether these developments come at the expense of human rights in the region. In addition, Cambodia needs to pay careful attention to how these developments impact its own workers and landowners, who are directly affected by Vietnam’s widening economic sphere of influence. *Morton Sklar is the founding executive director emeritus of the World Organization for Human Rights USA* -- Best Regards, *Khmer Forum* *A place for sharing community events and public news.* 2015-07-09 11:40 GMT-07:00 Khmer Forum <khmerforu...@gmail.com>: > *Lawmakers Blast Obama's Meeting With Vietnam's Communist Leader* > > *http://www.newsmax.com/t/newsmax/article/654077* > <http://www.newsmax.com/t/newsmax/article/654077> > President Barack Obama shakes hands with Vietnam's Communist Party General > Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. (REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY) > By Courtney Coren > Wednesday, 08 Jul 2015 16:05 PM > ------------------------------ > > A bipartisan group of lawmakers is blasting President Barack Obama for > hosting the leader of Vietnam's Communist Party at the White House on > Tuesday despite that nation's continuing human rights violations. > > California Democratic Rep. Loretta Sanchez said in a statement Wednesday > that she is "disappointed that the administration has chosen to host Nguyễn > Phú Trọng, the general secretary of the Vietnamese Communist Party," The > Hill reports. > <http://thehill.com/policy/national-security/247203-obama-faces-backlash-for-vietnam-meeting> > "As an advocate for human rights in Vietnam, I cannot ignore the dismal > state of freedom of the press and freedom of speech," Sanchez added. > > She joined eight other members of Congress in a letter > <http://viettan.org/IMG/pdf/07-06-15_-_Letter_to_President_on_Trong_Meeting-2.pdf> > sent > to Obama on Monday criticizing Trong and telling the president not to > ignore the human rights violations that persist in Vietnam in his > conversations with the communist leader. > > "As you well know, Mr. Trong is not a head of state nor leader of an > elected government," they wrote. "He has been invited to the the White > House simply because he sits at the top of Vietnam's one-party system." > > They cite the "authoritarian one-party system" as "the root cause of the > deplorable human rights situation in Vietnam." > Even though Vietnam has made "a commitment to the principles of universal > human rights," the lawmakers say that "the United Nations Working Group on > Arbitrary Detention (UNWGAD) had determined that the Socialist Republic of > Vietnam continues to systematically arrest and detain Vietnamese social and > political activists, violating its clear obligations under international > standards." > > For this reason, the bipartisan members of Congress said that it's key > that the United States send a message to Vietnam about these violations. > > "We recommend that you bring attention to the mistreatment of political > and religious prisoners in Vietnam — especially those serving long prison > sentences for their peaceful expression and political advocacy," they > wrote, adding a list of bloggers and other prisoners that ought to be > released. > > The meeting was the first official visit since the normalization of the > United States' relationship with Vietnam 20 years ago. > > Following the meeting, Obama said that he and Trong "discussed candidly > some of our differences around issues of human rights." > > They also discussed the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal. > Advocates for human rights and democracy in Vietnam held protests outside > the White House during the meeting, BBC News reports. > <http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-33438260> > > Related Stories: > > - US to Pay Vietnam Vets Millions for Agent Orange Claims > > <http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/agent-orange-claims-millions/2015/06/18/id/651140/> > - Tom Hayden to Newsmax: Communist Vietnam 'Is a Free Country' > > <http://www.newsmax.com/US/tom-hayden-vietnam-war-protests-jane-fonda/2015/05/04/id/642307/> > > -- > > Best Regards, > > *Khmer Forum* > *A place for sharing community events and public news.* > > 2015-07-08 0:27 GMT-07:00 Khmer Forum <khmerforu...@gmail.com>: > Re: ប្រធានាធិបតីអាមេរិកទទួលជួបមេបក្សកុម្មុយនិស្តវៀតណាម - Why the > U.S. woos Vietnam, once a bitter enemy > > *ប្រធានាធិបតីអាមេរិកទទួលជួបមេបក្សកុម្មុយនិស្តវៀតណាម [Why Vietnam is >> so important in **Obama's "pivot" toward Asia?]* >> >> *http://km.rfi.fr/asia/20150707-obama-recoit-chef-parti-communiste-vietnam-maison-blanche/* >> <http://km.rfi.fr/asia/20150707-obama-recoit-chef-parti-communiste-vietnam-maison-blanche/> >> សហរដ្ឋអាមេរិក >> <http://km.rfi.fr/tag/%E1%9E%9F%E1%9E%A0%E1%9E%9A%E1%9E%8A%E1%9F%92%E1%9E%8B%E1%9E%A2%E1%9E%B6%E1%9E%98%E1%9F%81%E1%9E%9A%E1%9E%B7%E1%9E%80/> >> វៀតណាម >> <http://km.rfi.fr/tag/%E1%9E%9C%E1%9F%80%E1%9E%8F%E1%9E%8E%E1%9E%B6%E1%9E%98/> >> | ចុះផ្សាយនៅថ្ងៃ 07/07/2015កែប្រែចុងក្រោយនៅថ្ងៃ 07/07/2015 >> >> ដោយ អៀង សុខម៉ិញ >> <http://km.rfi.fr/auteur/%E1%9E%A2%E1%9F%80%E1%9E%84-%E1%9E%9F%E1%9E%BB%E1%9E%81%E1%9E%98%E1%9F%89%E1%9E%B7%E1%9E%89/> >> [image: media]*លោក ង្វៀន ភូជុង Nguyễn Phú Trọng >> ត្រូវបានទទួលជួបដោយប្រធានាធិបតីអាមេរិកបារ៉ាក់ អូបាម៉ា នៅសេតវិមាន >> (Reuters)* >> លោក បារ៉ាក់ អូបាម៉ា ប្រធានាធិបតីសហរដ្ឋអាមេរិកបានទទួលជួប >> មេដឹកនាំបក្សកុម្មុយនិស្ត បក្សនយោបាយតែមួយគត់របស់វៀតណាម >> នៅសេតវិមាន។ អាចចាត់ទុកបានថាជាជំនួបប្រវត្តិសាស្ត្រផង >> ព្រោះជារឿងដែលពុំធ្លាប់កើតមានទេ >> សម្រាប់ប្រទេសជាអតីតគូសត្រូវធ្លាប់ធ្វើសង្គ្រាមនឹងគ្នារាប់ឆ្នាំ។ >> ប៉ុន្តែការរិះគន់ខ្លាំង និងភាពចម្រូងចម្រាសក៏កើតមានច្រើន >> ជាពិសេសពីសំណាក់ក្រុមអ្នកតំណាងរាស្ត្រ >> នៅពេលឃើញសហរដ្ឋអាមេរិកផ្តល់កិត្តិយសខ្លាំងជ្រុលដល់មេកុម្មុយនិស្តវៀតណាម។ >> >> លោកអូបាម៉ា បានជ្រើសរើស យកពេលទទួលជួបមេដឹកនាំបក្សកុម្មុយនិស្ត >> លោក ង្វៀន ភូជុង (Nguyen Phu Trong) នៅសេតវិមាន >> ដើម្បីប្រកាសអំពីដំណើរទស្សនកិច្ចរបស់លោក នៅប្រទេសវៀតណាម នាពេលខាងមុខ។ >> >> អាមេរិកនិងវៀតណាម ធ្លាប់ធ្វើសង្គ្រាមនឹងគ្នា កាលពី៤០ឆ្នាំមុន ! >> សង្គ្រាមដែលបានបង្កឱ្យមានមនុស្សស្លាប់យ៉ាងច្រើន >> តែទីបំផុតអាមេរិកត្រូវទទួលបរាជ័យ។ ហើយអតីតគូសត្រូវទាំងពីរ >> ទើបតែនឹងអាចស្តារទំនាក់ទំនងការទូតនឹងគ្នាឡើងវិញបាន២០ឆ្នាំប៉ុណ្ណោះ។ >> អតីតប្រធានាធិបតីអាមេរិក លោក ប៊ីល គ្លីនតុន >> ដែលជាអ្នកផ្តួចផ្តើមផ្សះផ្សាទំនាក់ទំនងជាមួយវៀតណាម >> បានធ្វើដំណើរទៅបំពេញទស្សនកិច្ចជាប្រវត្តិសាស្ត្រនៅក្រុងហាណូយ >> កាលពីឆ្នាំ ២០០០។ ថ្នាក់ដឹកនាំអាមេរិកសំខាន់ៗជាច្រើនរូបផ្សេងទៀត >> ក៏បានធ្វើដំណើរជាផ្លូវការទៅកាន់ប្រទេសកុម្មុយនិស្តមួយនេះ។ >> ឯប្រធានាធិបតីវៀតណាមវិញ >> ទើបតែមានពីររូបប៉ុណ្ណោះដែលបានចូលក្នុងសេតវិមាន ហើយថ្ងៃនេះលោក >> ង្វៀន ភូជុង បានបញ្ចូលឈ្មោះ ក្នុងបញ្ជីឱ្យកាន់តែវែងឡើងបន្ថែមទៀត។ >> >> >> ប៉ុន្តែជំនួបនេះ >> បានរងការរិះគន់ខ្លាំងពីសំណាក់ក្រុមអ្នកតំណាងរាស្ត្រអាមេរិក។ >> ក្រុមអ្នកតំណាងរាស្ត្រអាមេរិក ទាំងមកពីបក្សប្រជាធិបតេយ្យ >> និងសាធារណរដ្ឋ យល់ថាមិនសក្តិសម ឬនិយាយបែបផ្សេងថាបញ្ជោរហួសថ្នាក់។ >> >> លោក ង្វៀន ភូជុង មិនមែនជាប្រមុខរដ្ឋ >> ហើយក៏មិនមែនជាតំណាងរដ្ឋាភិបាលដែលប្រសូតចេញពីការបោះឆ្នោតទេ ! >> នេះហើយជាអ្វីដែលបានឃើញនៅក្នុងលិខិតចំហរបស់ក្រុមសភាអ្នកតំណាងអាមេរិក >> សរសេរទៅកាន់លោកអូបាម៉ា។ >> >> ម្យ៉ាងទៀត វៀតណាមមានប្រព័ន្ធឯកបក្ស ផ្តាច់ការ >> ដែលជាប្រភពនៃការរំលោភសិទ្ធិមនុស្ស ការចាប់ដាក់ពន្ធនាគារ >> រយៈពេលវែងដោយគ្រាន់តែបានបញ្ចេញមតិរិះគន់របបដឹកនាំ >> អ្នកនយោបាយក៏មានច្រើន។ បើទោះបីជាលោកអូបាម៉ា >> ធ្លាប់បានលើកឡើងជាសាធារណៈជាញយដងអំពីបញ្ហាអ្នកទោសនយោបាយ >> ឬសិទ្ធិមនុស្សក្តី តែដូចជាគ្មានឥទ្ធិពលតបវិញទេ >> ហេតុដូច្នេះហើយបានជាក្រុមអ្នកទទួលបន្ទុកកិច្ចការសិទ្ធិមនុស្សអាស៊ី >> បានអំពាវនាវឱ្យលោកអូបាម៉ាដំឡើងសំឡេងបន្តិចដាក់វៀតណាម។ >> បើតាមក្រុមអ្នកការពារសិទ្ធិមនុស្ស វៀតណាមបានប្រឹងប្រែងតិចតួចណាស់ >> ក្នុងវិស័យសិទ្ធិមនុស្សនេះ >> ដែលមិនគួរទទួលបានកិត្តិយសដល់ថ្នាក់ទទួលជួបប្រធានាធិបតីនៅក្នុងសេតវិមានទេ។ >> >> អ្នកទទួលខុសត្រូវអាមេរិកបានទទួលស្គាល់ថា ជំនួបរវាងលោកអូបាម៉ា >> និងលោក ង្វៀន ភូជុង មានលក្ខណៈខុសទម្លាប់ពិធីការបន្តិចមែន ប៉ុន្តែ >> ជាមេដឹកនាំបក្សកុម្មុយនិស្ត ដូច្នេះគឺត្រូវជាមនុស្សសំខាន់ >> ដែលគួរតែបានទទួលការស្វាគមន៍ដូចថ្នាក់ដឹកនាំប្រទេស -រដ្ឋាភិបាល”។ >> ប្រមុខបក្សគឺជាឥស្សរជនដ៏មានអំណាចកំពូលទាំងបួនដំបូងគេ >> នៅក្នុងប្រទេស ៖ ប្រធានាធិបតី នាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រី ប្រធានសភា និងប្រធានបក្ស។ >> ប្រធានបក្សកុម្មុយនិស្ត គឺពិតជាបុរសខ្លាំងរបស់ប្រទេស >> ដែលគេអាចលើកយកគ្រប់ប្រធានបទមកជជែកគ្នា ដូចជា >> ការចរចាដើម្បីចូលរួមបង្កើតតំបន់ពាណិជ្ជកម្មសេរីអន្តរប៉ាស៊ីហ្វិក >> (Trans-Pacific Partnership) បញ្ហាសិទ្ធិមនុស្ស និងយោធា។ >> ជំនួបនេះពិតជាសំខាន់ខ្លាំងក្នុងពង្រឹងទំនាក់ទំនងជាមួយវៀតណាម។ >> ហាណូយអាចនឹងមានទំនុកចិត្តយ៉ាងខ្លាំងលើវ៉ាស៊ីនតោន >> បន្ទាប់ពីជំនួបនៅសេតវិមាននេះរួច។ >> >> វៀតណាមក៏ត្រូវការពង្រឹងទំនាក់ទំនង >> ពង្រីកកិច្ចសហប្រតិបត្តិការសេដ្ឋកិច្ច និងពិសេសយោធា ជាមួយអាមេរិក >> ដើម្បីប្រឈមនឹងចិន ដែលមានមហិច្ឆតាកាន់តែធំៗឡើង >> ចង់គ្រប់គ្រងតែឯងតំបន់សមុទ្ទចិនខាងត្បូង >> មិនខ្វល់អំពីប្រទេសជិតខាងក្នុងតំបន់។ >> ឯចំណែកអាមេរិករបស់លោកអូបាម៉ា ក៏ត្រូវការប្រើវៀតណាមដែរ >> ដើម្បីប្រឈមនឹងឥទ្ធិពលចិន ក្នុងក្រមខ័ណ្ឌនយោបាយការបរទេស >> ដែលផ្តល់អាទិភាពខ្លាំងផ្នែកការទូតនិងវត្តមានកងទ័ពអាមេរិកនៅតំបន់អាស៊ី។ >> ជាហេតុធ្វើឱ្យទំនាក់ទំនងប្រទេសពីរ ឡើងខ្លាំងជាងការគ្រោងទុក >> មិនថាលើវិស័យពាណិជ្ជកម្ម (កើនឡើង៥០ដង ក្នុងរយៈពេល២០ឆ្នាំ) ឬយោធា >> (មានការបន្ធូរបន្ថយទណ្ឌកម្ម >> អនុញ្ញាតឱ្យវៀតណាមអាចទិញអាវុធយុទ្ធភណ្ឌការពារដែនសមុទ្ទខ្លះ >> តាំងពីខែតុលា២០១៤មក >> អាមេរិកអាចនឹងគិតគូរឡើងវិញដកទណ្ឌកម្មថ្មីផ្សេងទៀត >> ប្រសិនបើវៀតណាមគោរពសិទ្ធិមនុស្សបានប្រសើរឡើងតែបន្តិច៕ >> -- >> >> Best Regards, >> >> *Khmer Forum* >> *A place for sharing community events and public news.* >> >> On Mon, Jul 6, 2015 at 12:01 AM, Khmer Forum <khmerforu...@gmail.com> >> wrote: >> >> *US, wooing Vietnam, readies red carpet for communist chief* >> *http://news.yahoo.com/us-wooing-vietnam-readies-red-carpet-communist-chief-050800638.html?soc_src=mediacontentstory&soc_trk=ma >> <http://news.yahoo.com/us-wooing-vietnam-readies-red-carpet-communist-chief-050800638.html?soc_src=mediacontentstory&soc_trk=ma>* >>> >>> >>> >>> [image: Associated Press] <http://www.ap.org/> >>> By GRANT PECKJuly 5, 2015 1:08 AM >>> >>> FILE - *In this July 3, 2015 file photo, Vietnamese Communist Party >>> General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong gestures during a meeting with the >>> Western press in Hanoi, Vietnam. Trong doesn't hold an official government >>> post, but it's not surprising that he’ll meet with U.S. President Barack >>> Obama on his visit to the United States. Trong called his trip on Tuesday, >>> July 7, 2015 “a historic visit.” He said he expects Obama to make his first >>> visit to Vietnam later this year, though the White House has not confirmed >>> the trip. (AP Photo/Tran Van Minh, File*) >>> HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — Vietnamese Communist Party chief Nguyen Phu Trong >>> doesn't hold an official government post, but it's not surprising that >>> he'll meet with President Barack Obama on his visit to the United States >>> this week. He is the de-facto top leader of his country. >>> >>> More telling is one of Trong's other engagements — a dinner reception >>> hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, bastion of American free >>> enterprise. Economic imperatives drove the U.S. and Vietnam to normalize >>> postwar relations 20 years ago, and they remain a major incentive to boost >>> ties. >>> >>> President Bill Clinton announced the normalization of relations between >>> the U.S. and Vietnam on July 11, 1995, following up on the lifting of >>> punitive economic sanctions imposed after the Vietnam War ended in 1975 >>> with a communist victory. >>> >>> The bitterness on both sides gave way to pragmatism. Vietnam's socialist >>> planners were running the economy of the newly unified nation into the >>> ground, and needed a helping hand. American businesses saw opportunities >>> that might otherwise be seized by Asian and European competitors. >>> >>> Trong called his trip on Tuesday "a historic visit." He said he expects >>> Obama to make his first visit to Vietnam later this year, though the White >>> House has not confirmed the trip. >>> >>> U.S. officials are eager to take relations with Vietnam — currently >>> friendly but hardly intimate — to a new level. Vietnam could be a linchpin >>> in Obama's "pivot" toward Asia, playing a strong geopolitical and economic >>> role. As a front-line country nervous about Chinese expansionism in the >>> South China Sea, Vietnam also would not mind the U.S. directing at least a >>> little hard talk at Beijing. >>> >>> "We believe that as one of the world's leading major powers and a member >>> of the (U.N. Security Council), the U.S. has a great interest and >>> responsibility in maintaining peace and stability in the world, >>> particularly in the Asia-Pacific," Trong said Friday in a written response >>> to questions submitted by The Associated Press. >>> >>> In careful diplomatic language, he said he hoped "that the U.S. will >>> continue to have appropriate voice and actions to contribute to peaceful >>> settlement of disputes in the (South China Sea) in accordance with >>> international law in order to ensure peace and stability in the >>> Asia-Pacific and the world." >>> >>> U.S. ambitions to remain a Pacific power hinge in large part on >>> projecting its power by drawing a line with China. >>> >>> Popular sentiment in Vietnam is generally hostile toward China's >>> assertive maritime territorial claims, but the country's leaders are loath >>> to antagonize their much bigger neighbor. The practical perils of proximity >>> are one matter, but more doctrinaire communists such as Trong are uneasy >>> about casting their lot with the democratic West instead of their old >>> communist kin in Beijing. >>> >>> In Washington's view, however, wooing a hard-line skeptic such as the >>> 71-year-old Trong is key to achieving the two countries' goals. >>> >>> While Trong's trip is a sign of how far the U.S.-Vietnam relationship >>> has come in the 40 years since the end of the war, that doesn't mean an >>> alliance is in the works, said Walter Lohman, director of the Asian Studies >>> Center at the Heritage Foundation in Washington. >>> >>> "They want to have eggs in the American basket to balance off what >>> they've got in the Chinese basket, all in the service of Vietnam's interest >>> and strategic vision," he said. >>> >>> Trong emphasized the importance of Vietnam's relationship with the U.S. >>> >>> "Vietnam would like to be a friend and reliable partner of all countries >>> in the world," he wrote in his response. "In this effort, we attach great >>> importance to the relations with the U.S. as one of the most important >>> partners in our foreign policy." >>> >>> What Washington has to offer Hanoi are economic benefits, particularly >>> under the yet-to-be finalized multilateral Trans-Pacific Partnership. It >>> can point to a solid track record: Since 1995, annual U.S.-Vietnam trade >>> has increased from less than $500 million to $35 billion last year. Vietnam >>> has now surpassed Malaysia and Thailand as Southeast Asia's top exporter of >>> merchandise to the U.S. . >>> >>> Trong's visit "is part of the discussion in Hanoi about the nation's >>> future ... how to balance the economic and political links with China >>> against the lure of U.S. markets and security assurances," said Frank >>> Jannuzi, a former Senate Foreign Relations Committee staffer who now works >>> at the Washington-based Mansfield Foundation, which aims to promote >>> U.S.-Asia relations. >>> >>> Jannuzi pondered whether the trade pact's economic benefits and U.S. >>> guarantees on South China Sea security would carry the day, or if Vietnam's >>> communist government would stick to the model of their Chinese comrades >>> "and follow the path of resilient authoritarianism, with state control of >>> key sectors of economy and strict controls on power-sharing." >>> >>> Human rights remains a sticky issue, with Vietnam's repression of >>> dissidents undercutting political support in the U.S. Congress for >>> sweetening any deals with Vietnam, such as acceding to Hanoi's desire to be >>> allowed to purchase lethal weaponry. >>> >>> The Obama administration "deserves credit for continuing to pressure >>> Vietnam on political prisoners, labor rights and religious liberty. The >>> problem is, it's not working," said John Sifton, Human Rights Watch's Asia >>> advocacy director in Washington. >>> >>> The U.S. says prosecution of dissidents has decreased and the number of >>> political prisoners has dropped from more than 160 two years ago to around >>> 110 — progress it attributes to Hanoi's desire to join a U.S.-backed trade >>> pact of Pacific Rim nations. But Sifton said the reduction was due to >>> people serving out their terms, not early releases. Human Rights Watch >>> estimates there are still about 150 political prisoners being held. >>> >>> Trong acknowledged differences with the U.S. on issues of democracy, >>> human rights and trade. But he added: "We should maintain dialogues in an >>> open, candid and constructive manner to increase mutual understanding, >>> narrow differences and make best use of our cooperation potentials. We >>> should work to make sure such differences do not hinder bilateral >>> relations." >>> >>> ___ >>> >>> Associated Press writer Matthew Pennington in Washington contributed to >>> this report. >>> >>> Best Regards, >>> >>> *Khmer Forum* >>> *A place for sharing community events and public news.* >>> >> -- -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Cambodia Discussion (CAMDISC) - www.cambodia.org" group. This is an unmoderated forum. Please refrain from using foul language. Thank you for your understanding. Peace among us and in Cambodia. To post to this group, send email to camdisc@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to camdisc-unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/camdisc Learn more - http://www.cambodia.org --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Cambodia Discussion (CAMDISC) - www.cambodia.org" group. 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