Feb. 18
VIETNAM/AUSTRALIA:
Death penalty revoked for 2 Aussies in Vietnam
ELIZABETH JACKSON: 2 Australians on death row in Vietnam have had their
death sentences commuted to life imprisonment by the country's President.
Mai Cong Thanh and Nguyen Van Chinh were both sentenced to death last year
after being convicted of trafficking heroin.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Alexander Downer, says the men can count
their blessings that Vietnam listened to Australia's pleas for clemency.
But Mr Downer says he doesn't know if the 2 members of the Bali 9, who
have been sentenced to death, will be as lucky.
Alexander Downer spoke to AM's Gillian Bradford.
ALEXANDER DOWNER: I'm very pleased to say that the President of Vietnam
has now agreed to commute the death penalties of an Australian citizen,
Mai Cong Thanh and also an Australian permanent resident, Nguyen Van
Chinh.
And he said that, in doing this, that it's being done on the basis of the
humane tradition and the good relationship between Vietnam and Australia.
So I'm very pleased that the representations I and the Prime Minister and
others have made have, on this occasion, borne fruit.
GILLIAN BRADFORD: Still it means the men will serve out their sentences in
Vietnam. Are you confident of any prisoner exchange program with that
country?
ALEXANDER DOWNER: We don't have, and I think it would be quite complicated
to negotiate such an arrangement with Vietnam, but that's always something
we could consider down the track.
It's not something we've, you know, we think can be done very quickly. But
I don't have a problem with a prisoner exchange arrangement with any
country.
But, you know, you have to take into account - and let me make this clear
- that these two people had committed very serious offences. In the case
of the Australian citizen, Mai Cong Thanh, he was convicted for illegally
trading in nearly 2 kilograms - over 1.5 kilograms - of heroin.
And in the case of Nguyen Van Chinh, he was convicted of trading just over
one kilogram of heroin. So, you know, these are extremely serious offences
and we've got to keep a sense of perspective about that.
GILLIAN BRADFORD: So you're saying they should count their blessings?
ALEXANDER DOWNER: Absolutely they should count their blessings. They are
extremely lucky that they will not be executed, and I think - as I've said
- those Australians who, like me, are very opposed to capital punishment,
will be very pleased that the Vietnamese Government has done what they've
done. But they are very, very lucky people, there's no question of that.
GILLIAN BRADFORD: You've managed to convince Vietnam. What prospects of
convincing Indonesia?
ALEXANDER DOWNER: Well, I.... look, I don't know, because in my time as
Foreign Minister, and after all that's quite a few years now, that's
nearly 10 years, and in President Yudhoyono's time as the President of
Indonesia there hasn't been an occasion where we've had an Australian, up
until now, sentenced to death.
But what approach the Indonesian Government and the President will take to
applications for clemency, look I really just do not know. I have no
experience of it.
GILLIAN BRADFORD: You were using up some goodwill in the relationship with
Vietnam, I mean is it a case in Indonesia that you don't want to use up
the goodwill you have with Indonesia on these 2 members of the Bali 9
sentenced to death?
ALEXANDER DOWNER: Well look, I have at one level no sympathy for the Bali
nine for what they have done, and they have been convicted by a court, and
I just think as a country we're very lucky that that heroin that they were
bringing to Australia never got to Australia and the racket was
intercepted. Let me make that clear.
But secondly, I don't support capital punishment, and so I will obviously
- if the appeals fail - make, support the application that will inevitably
be made for clemency.
Now, whether the President will exercise clemency or whether he won't,
look I just simply do not know.
ELIZABETH JACKSON: The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Alexander Downer,
speaking to AM's Gillian Bradford.
(source: ABC Radio News)
