Socialist Republic of Vietnam

On April 9, 2001, Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman, Ms. Phan Thuy Thanh answers question from DPA: Please comment on the recent letter by Elliot Abrams, chairman of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom to Secretary of the Treasury Paul O'Neill recommending that the United States withhold its support for IMF and WB loans to the government of Vietnam on "religious grounds".

Answer:

Since the restoration of relations in 1993, cooperation between Vietnam and the World Bank (WB) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have seen positive developments in various fields. According to our agencies concerned, the Executive Board of the IMF on 6 April approved in principle the grant of a USD 368 million loan to Vietnam in 3 years under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Formula (PRGF) in an attempt to help the Vietnamese government to accelerate development and eliminate hunger and reduce poverty. We welcome and highly appreciate effective cooperation between the WB, IMF and Vietnam.

Against this background, the move by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom is contrary to international efforts currently aimed at making effective contributions to the national development in Vietnam and is detrimental to fine cooperative relations between Vietnam and international financial institutions including the IMF and WB. This move is not only improper but also detrimental to the relationship between the two countries.

With regard to human rights, our position is that in the international community each nation has a sacred right to choose their own development path and political regime. We promote dialogues and international cooperation with a view to enhancing mutual understanding, guarantee and promote human rights, create equitable and equal opportunity for all nations and human beings to embrace comprehensive development. But no nation or society has a right to interfere into the other's internal affairs.

It is to reaffirm that freedom to adhere to or not to adhere to a religion or religious belief of all Vietnamese citizens is expressly stipulated in Vietnamese law and protected in practice.

Since 1946, Vietnam's Constitution which was amended three times, in 1959, 1980 and 1992 has clear provisions on human rights which are protected in all civil, political, economic, cultural and societal aspects. Distinctive rights of each social stratum, especially of children, women, ethnic groups and equal rights of religions before law... have been made further comprehensive. To implement the Constitution, since 1986 when Vietnam embarked upon renovation, Vietnam's National Assembly have adopted more than 13 legal documents and sub-documents including 40 most important codes and legislations such as the Penal Code, Criminal Procedural Code, Civil Code, Labor Law, Law on the Care and Education of Children... All those good provisions have become a vivid reality in Vietnam while we are in the process of making efforts to overcome heavy consequences of decades of protracted wars, sanctions and embargoes. With its internal efforts, Vietnam has acceded to and is implementing 8 international conventions on fundamental human rights.