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| Kerry Tells Vietnam That U.S. Ties Will Deepen if Human Rights Are Protected | |
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| HANOI, Vietnam — Secretary of State John Kerry told a group of Vietnamese officials and business leaders on Friday that improvements in human rights here would lead to deeper ties between the United States and Vietnam. | HANOI, Vietnam — Secretary of State John Kerry told a group of Vietnamese officials and business leaders on Friday that improvements in human rights here would lead to deeper ties between the United States and Vietnam. |
| “Progress on human rights and the rule of law will provide the foundation for a deeper and more sustainable strategy and strategic partnership between the United States and Vietnam,” Mr. Kerry said in a speech marking the 20th anniversary of the restoration of diplomatic ties between the former wartime adversaries. | “Progress on human rights and the rule of law will provide the foundation for a deeper and more sustainable strategy and strategic partnership between the United States and Vietnam,” Mr. Kerry said in a speech marking the 20th anniversary of the restoration of diplomatic ties between the former wartime adversaries. |
| “Only you can decide the pace and the direction of this process of building this partnership, but I’m sure you’ve noticed that America’s closest partnerships in the world are with countries that share a commitment to certain values,” he added. | “Only you can decide the pace and the direction of this process of building this partnership, but I’m sure you’ve noticed that America’s closest partnerships in the world are with countries that share a commitment to certain values,” he added. |
| Mr. Kerry arrived here in the Vietnamese capital on Thursday night for talks on trade and security issues, his final stop on a five-nation trip to the Middle East and Asia. | Mr. Kerry arrived here in the Vietnamese capital on Thursday night for talks on trade and security issues, his final stop on a five-nation trip to the Middle East and Asia. |
| The United States and Vietnam are both concerned about China’s growing military power and its claims in the South China Sea. Last year, the Obama administration partially lifted its longtime arms embargo on Vietnam so that lethal assistance could be provided to the Vietnamese Coast Guard. | |
| Economic ties have also grown. Vietnam is one of the nations involved in the negotiations to draft a landmark Pacific trade treaty that President Obama is promoting, and trade between the two countries has soared to more than $36 billion, from $451 million two decades ago. | Economic ties have also grown. Vietnam is one of the nations involved in the negotiations to draft a landmark Pacific trade treaty that President Obama is promoting, and trade between the two countries has soared to more than $36 billion, from $451 million two decades ago. |
| Mr. Kerry served in Vietnam as a young officer before emerging as a vociferous critic of the war. In his address, Mr. Kerry recalled the role that he and Senator John McCain, the Arizona Republican who is chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, played in resolving questions over the possibility of missing Americans from the Vietnam conflict, a step that facilitated the normalization of relations between the two countries. | Mr. Kerry served in Vietnam as a young officer before emerging as a vociferous critic of the war. In his address, Mr. Kerry recalled the role that he and Senator John McCain, the Arizona Republican who is chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, played in resolving questions over the possibility of missing Americans from the Vietnam conflict, a step that facilitated the normalization of relations between the two countries. |
| “We are not still in the process of reconciliation,” Mr. Kerry said in his speech. “The big news today is that the United States and Vietnam have reconciled.” | “We are not still in the process of reconciliation,” Mr. Kerry said in his speech. “The big news today is that the United States and Vietnam have reconciled.” |
| But Mr. Kerry also spoke of the challenges the two countries still face, especially over human rights. While the number of political prosecutions in Vietnam has declined somewhat, Vietnam is still an authoritarian, one-party state, and American officials say legal reforms are needed. | But Mr. Kerry also spoke of the challenges the two countries still face, especially over human rights. While the number of political prosecutions in Vietnam has declined somewhat, Vietnam is still an authoritarian, one-party state, and American officials say legal reforms are needed. |
| Mr. Kerry emphasized the importance of allowing independent labor unions, as the Pacific trade pact that is under negotiation requires. | Mr. Kerry emphasized the importance of allowing independent labor unions, as the Pacific trade pact that is under negotiation requires. |
| “The United States recognizes that only the Vietnamese people can determine their political system,” he said. “But there are basic principles we will always defend: No one should be punished for speaking their mind so long as they are peaceful; and if trading goods flow freely between us, so should information and ideas.” | “The United States recognizes that only the Vietnamese people can determine their political system,” he said. “But there are basic principles we will always defend: No one should be punished for speaking their mind so long as they are peaceful; and if trading goods flow freely between us, so should information and ideas.” |
| In a joint news conference later in the day with Vietnam’s deputy prime minister, Pham Binh Minh, Mr. Kerry said that the country had taken some positive steps on human rights, including ratifying an international convention against torture and releasing a dozen “prisoners of conscience” last year. | |
| But Mr. Kerry said the United States would not take additional steps to ease the arms embargo on Vietnam unless the country’s human rights record improved. | |
| “Is there still room for improvement going forward?” he said. “Yes, there is.” | |
| Mr. Minh asserted that his government was taking steps to improve its legal system but added that the country’s human rights record should be viewed in its “cultural context.” | |
| “We hope the United States will fully lift the embargo on lethal weapons,” Mr. Minh said through an interpreter. | |
| Mr. Kerry did not focus in his speech on the nuclear agreement he negotiated with Iran. But with the congressional debate over the accord heating up at home, he did not miss the opportunity to try to reinforce Mr. Obama’s assertion that the deal represented the best chance for a diplomatic solution. | Mr. Kerry did not focus in his speech on the nuclear agreement he negotiated with Iran. But with the congressional debate over the accord heating up at home, he did not miss the opportunity to try to reinforce Mr. Obama’s assertion that the deal represented the best chance for a diplomatic solution. |
| “Standing here today, I’m reminded of conversations I have had recently with people who talk almost casually about the prospect of war with one country or another,” Mr. Kerry said. “And I’m tempted to say, ‘You don’t have the first idea of what you’re talking about.’ ” | “Standing here today, I’m reminded of conversations I have had recently with people who talk almost casually about the prospect of war with one country or another,” Mr. Kerry said. “And I’m tempted to say, ‘You don’t have the first idea of what you’re talking about.’ ” |
| “For sure, there are times when one may have no choice but to go to war, but it is never something to rush to or accept without exploring every other available option,” he said. | “For sure, there are times when one may have no choice but to go to war, but it is never something to rush to or accept without exploring every other available option,” he said. |