Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-11-20-Speech-4-180"
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"en.20031120.9.4-180"2
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".
I thank Mr Belder and his colleagues for again raising the issue of Vietnam in this House, at a particularly apposite time. I also echo what Mr Posselt said, that no one in this House or anywhere else should fail to understand the critical importance of free people in free institutions, communicating their concern about those who are not free and who suffer because of their efforts to observe or assert their own opinions and beliefs. Everyone in this House, myself included, has had many encounters with people who have suffered grievously for the beliefs they hold and for resisting oppression. It always comes as a great inspiration to hear from them that, even in the darkest hours, in the deepest jails and in the worst conditions, they had their spirits lifted by messages from outside.
As Mr Belder mentioned, there are reports of increased harassment of some Christians
especially Montagnards and Hmong Christians
since the uprisings in the Central Highlands in 2001. It is alleged that local authorities have tried to force highlanders to renounce their deeply held beliefs. If they looked at history, they would see how fruitless such efforts have been throughout the centuries.
The House is aware of the renewed detention of some leaders and members of the unrecognised Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam. The European Commission and Member States have expressed their concerns over these events, and have called upon the Vietnamese Government to resume the dialogue initiated earlier this year between the UBCV and important members of the Vietnamese administration, including the Prime Minister, to restore the hope of a solution acceptable to all parties.
I conclude by emphasising that it is clear to the Commission that Vietnam would be best served by continued and more rapid progress in the country’s reform programme, so that the administration learns to deal with a wider range of views and appreciates the value of accommodating dissent. Those vital elements of liberation still have to be secured in Vietnam.
The admired Socialist philosopher Aneurin Bevan said that each freedom is only made safe by adding another to it. So, when we strive for freedom in Vietnam, we are striving to secure our own freedoms and those of other people around the world. It is always encouraging to see the enthusiasm and energy Members of this House devote to that cause.
The Commission has an overall policy towards Vietnam, with which the House is familiar. It is to encourage and support continued progress, with respect for human rights and democratisation, and to raise concerns where abuses occur or where the situation is evidently deteriorating. The Commission works closely with the European Union Member States in monitoring human rights developments in Vietnam and participates in all EU Troika approaches to the Vietnamese Government on human rights issues.
I can assure the House that the Commission and the Member States have repeatedly urged the Vietnamese Government to respect political and religious freedoms and strengthen economic and social freedoms.
Article 1 of the European Commission-Vietnam Cooperation Agreement of 1995 states that respect for human rights and democratic principles is the basis of our cooperation. As we informed Parliament on 15 May, this allows the Commission to discuss human rights issues with Vietnam, for example in joint Commission meetings held under the agreement.
Since that debate six months ago, the Commission has proposed further reinforcement of the EU's human rights dialogue with the Vietnamese Government, in the light of the EU's experience with dialogues in other countries. That proposal, which has been accepted by the Vietnamese side, aims to encourage and support the continued commitment of the Vietnamese Government on human rights issues. So far agreement has been reached on the dialogue, which will include all departments with responsibility for human rights-related matters, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Public Security and the Office of the Prime Minister. While the Commission cautions that sweeping changes cannot realistically be expected, we look forward to further incremental steps that start to meet our concerns.
The human rights dialogue with Vietnam is taking place on two different but complementary levels: the EU-Vietnam dialogue on human rights between EU Troika missions in Hanoi and the government, which will next convene on 26 November, and the EC-Vietnam Joint Commission, which is to take place tomorrow.
We also note that Vietnam’s parliament, the National Assembly, has expressed an interest in entering into a constructive dialogue with this House on these and other issues. Far be it from the Commission to suggest how Parliament should respond, but I know it will seize eagerly on any opportunity.
As regards the state of religious freedom in Vietnam, the Vietnamese Constitution
as Mr Mann reminded us
enshrines the freedom of religion as a basic freedom of the Republic. However, that freedom is limited
and some would say contradicted
by other specific laws. We hope that these restrictions will be relaxed and we have made that case explicitly and repeatedly to the Vietnamese authorities."@en1
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