Relations between Vietnam and the US in the field of human rights
9/11/14
In the reform era in Vietnam, it can be said that
the human rights has
been respected and ensured better
and better, that is the consistent policy for development of our Party and State. The human rights has been confirmed as a
strategic tasks of Vietnam's revolution in the new
era. It was recognized in the 11th Congress
documents: "Man is the
center of development strategies, and the object
of development also. To respect and protect human
rights, to attach human rights with
the rights and interests of the
nation, the country and the ownership
of the people ". In particular, the 2013 Constitution has a
separate chapter on "Human
Rights, the rights and obligations
of citizens", in which the basic principles of
human rights and specific
rights in international conventions
on human rights are all "recognized, respected and guaranteed".
However, in recent days, after
the normal event, Nguyen Van Hai
(Dieu Cay blogger) is permitted to flight to the US (Oct 21st 2014) for humanitarian reasons (previously, January 4th 2014, Cu Huy Ha Vu also
exited to the US for
medical treatment), on many
websites, it has been
much speculation about US-Vietnam relations. Unfortunately,
some people also said that both the US
and Vietnam have
both set "the conditions"
for the other to
expand and develop the existing
relations between the two countries.
For example, it is said that Vietnam had
"changed strategy" after the United States eased the ban on lethal arms sales to Vietnam
during the trip to US of the Deputy PM
Pham Binh Minh, and therefore Vietnam releases Dieu Cay blogger. In other words, they said only when Vietnam get
the US’s commitments made, Vietnam will be little easy on human rights issue!
It cannot be denied that the relationship
between Vietnam
and the United States
is different from other relationships
between Vietnam and other countries that have been had partnership and friendship with Vietnam.
The United States
and Vietnam
had the long history of grief, which caused by the side of sowing
the war the US. However,
both the United
States and Vietnam
now have the same opinion, "close the past, look forward", as politicians
and diplomats said:
"We can not change the past.
But w can change the future by working together, "or" We can not change the past, we can work together for
the future "...
After 20 years since the end of the war,
the US President Clinton formally declared the normalization of diplomatic relations between the US and
Vietnam on July 11th 1995;
in May 2000 two countries
signed a bilateral trade
agreement and then in November 2007 the United States approved the Regulations Permanent Normal Trade
Relations (PNTR) for Vietnam. In particular, during the visit of President
Truong Tan Sang to United States
(July 2013), heads
of the two countries President Truong Tan Sang and President Barak
Obama had affirmed to strengthen cooperation
for the development of each
country, for peace, stability
and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific region. On this occasion, the two leaders had decided to establish a comprehensive Partnership Vietnam-US
based on respect for the principles of the UN Charter, international law, respect for political institutions, independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of each other.
As we all know, the relationships
Vietnam-US has
been affected by a variety of factors, which includes not only the historical
problems but also the differences in political institutions, lifestyle, culture, in
which there are differences of
opinions and the law in the field of human rights. This is very normal in diplomatic relations,
for examble, while the European Union have abolished the death penalty, while the United States and
Vietnam
have not. Because there have been differences so the two countries need
to have a certain process to share their views and to minimize the distance of difference. The United States announcement of lifting the ban on lethal arms sales to Vietnam
is a natural step
in the process normalization of relations
between the two countries.
Vietnam is a
sovereign country and equal
to all countries, irrespective of large or small, developed or developing,
Vietnam
also have its own Constitution and
laws. In Vietnam, the arrest, investigation,
prosecution, adjudication and enforcement of imprisonment someone are all based
on the law of Vietnam. That
also means that Vietnam
consider process improvement
and health status and any recommendations to
mitigate foreign sentence
or give early release
for people who
are serving a prison is normal and not in violation of international conventions on human rights nor violated
commitments with other
nations, including the United States. The relationship Partner
comprehensive Vietnam-US based not only on the
United Nations Charter, international
law, but also on respect for
political institutions, independence
and sovereignty of each. In the coming time, Vietnam
will continue to respect
and ensure human rights better and better. This is completely natural.
The 20th century had showed
the highest principle of cooperation among nations is the consistency and appropriate
benefits between countries. And
the Vietnam-US cooperative
relationship is not out of the principles. The United States partially lifted the ban on arms sales to Vietnam not
only bring benefits to Vietnam, but
also for the United States.
For Vietnam, this
move could contributes to the protection of the independence, territorial integrity,
help us protect the peaceful environment to build the country. As for the US,
this will help them to "rebalance" strategy in Asia-Pacific,
for the sake of economics, and security of the United States.
According to political analysts, Vietnam has
a very important position
in Southeast
Asia. Especially, East Sea are at the crossroads,
the bridge between mainland Southeast Asia and maritime
Southeast Asia, and Vietnam
as well as is connection
point between Northeast Asia
and Southeast Asia. Thus, for the political
strategy to shifts focus to
Asia-Pacific, the US obviously has to
spends special attention to
Vietnam
and ASEAN countries. Therefore, it’s childish to think that the exit of Nguyen Van Hai to the
US, or Vietnam has nothing to
cooperate with the United States outside of the prisoners 'conscience' as "items"
in exchange. Moreover this is hindering and undermining
the development of comprehensive
cooperative relationship between
the two countries, hindering
the development of
Vietnamese people./.
All comments [ 10 ]
Despite some differences after 19 years of normalized ties, Vietnam-US cooperation has expanded in economics, education, science, national defense, security and external affairs.
I do believe that in the future, the active partnership, friendship, multifaceted co-operation and mutual understanding between the two countries will grow
The development of the Vietnam-US relationship will require the people of two countries to make greater efforts, especially to more understand each other.
A number of cooperation programs between Vietnam and the US will be implemented at a higher level
The Vietnamese and US armies will boost cooperation in overcoming war consequences, search and rescue, disaster relief, training and law enforcement at sea.
The US is always considering about the human rights issues of the other countries and avoiding its own problems.
The two sides will continuously intensify their collaboration for peace and stability in the region and the world at large.
There are a lot of people who are dreaming about American dream, in which they're rich and powerful and have rights to teach the others about democracy.So childish.LOL
The easing of the ban in place since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975 will only apply to maritime equipment and comes amid warming ties and as Vietnam makes "modest" improvements to human rights.
I think the most important thing is not the lift of the ban on arms sale or human rights, it's benefit the US can get from selling weapons to Vietnam and the world at large.
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