Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 97115 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
ETRD EAGR ETTC EAID ECON EFIN ECIN EINV ELAB EAIR ENRG EPET EWWT ECPS EIND EMIN ELTN EC ETMIN EUC EZ ET ELECTIONS ENVR EU EUN EG EINT ER ECONOMICS ES EMS ENIV EEB EN ECE ECOSOC EK ENVIRONMENT EFIS EI EWT ENGRD ECPSN EXIM EIAD ERIN ECPC EDEV ENGY ECTRD EPA ESTH ECCT EINVECON ENGR ERTD EUR EAP EWWC ELTD EL EXIMOPIC EXTERNAL ETRDEC ESCAP ECO EGAD ELNT ECONOMIC ENV ETRN EIAR EUMEM ENRGPARMOTRASENVKGHGPGOVECONTSPLEAID EREL ECOM ECONETRDEAGRJA ETCC ETRG ECONOMY EMED ETR ENERG EITC EFINOECD EURM EENG ERA EXPORT ENRD ECONEINVETRDEFINELABETRDKTDBPGOVOPIC EGEN EBRD EVIN ETRAD ECOWAS EFTA ECONETRDBESPAR EGOVSY EPIN EID ECONENRG EDRC ESENV ETT EB ENER ELTNSNAR ECHEVARRIA ETRC EPIT EDUC ESA EFI ENRGY ESCI EE EAIDXMXAXBXFFR EETC ECIP EIAID EIVN EBEXP ESTN EING EGOV ETRA EPETEIND ELAN ETRDGK EAIDRW ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS EPEC ENVI ELN EAG EPCS EPRT EPTED ETRB EUM EAIDS EFIC EFINECONEAIDUNGAGM EAIDAR ESF EIDN ELAM EDU EV EAIDAF ECN EDA EXBS EINTECPS ENRGTRGYETRDBEXPBTIOSZ EPREL EAC EINVEFIN ETA EAGER EINDIR ECA ECLAC ELAP EITI EUCOM ECONEFINETRDPGOVEAGRPTERKTFNKCRMEAID EARG ELDIN EINVKSCA ENNP EFINECONCS EFINTS ECCP ETC EAIRASECCASCID EINN ETRP EAIDNI EFQ ECOQKPKO EGPHUM EBUD ECONEINVEFINPGOVIZ ENERGY ELB EINDETRD EMI ECONEFIN EIB EURN ETRDEINVTINTCS EIN EFIM ETIO ELAINE EMN EATO EWTR EIPR EINVETC ETTD ETDR EIQ ECONCS EPPD ENRGIZ EISL ESPINOSA ELEC EAIG ESLCO EUREM ENTG ERD EINVECONSENVCSJA EEPET EUNCH ECINECONCS ETRO ETRDECONWTOCS ECUN EFND EPECO EAIRECONRP ERGR ETRDPGOV ECPN ENRGMO EPWR EET EAIS EAGRE EDUARDO EAGRRP EAIDPHUMPRELUG EICN ECONQH EVN EGHG ELBR EINF EAIDHO EENV ETEX ERNG ED
KMDR KPAO KPKO KJUS KCRM KGHG KFRD KWMN KDEM KTFN KHIV KGIC KIDE KSCA KNNP KHUM KIPR KSUM KISL KIRF KCOR KRCM KPAL KWBG KN KS KOMC KSEP KFLU KPWR KTIA KSEO KMPI KHLS KICC KSTH KMCA KVPR KPRM KE KU KZ KFLO KSAF KTIP KTEX KBCT KOCI KOLY KOR KAWC KACT KUNR KTDB KSTC KLIG KSKN KNN KCFE KCIP KGHA KHDP KPOW KUNC KDRL KV KPREL KCRS KPOL KRVC KRIM KGIT KWIR KT KIRC KOMO KRFD KUWAIT KG KFIN KSCI KTFIN KFTN KGOV KPRV KSAC KGIV KCRIM KPIR KSOC KBIO KW KGLB KMWN KPO KFSC KSEAO KSTCPL KSI KPRP KREC KFPC KUNH KCSA KMRS KNDP KR KICCPUR KPPAO KCSY KTBT KCIS KNEP KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KNNB KGCC KINR KPOP KMFO KENV KNAR KVIR KDRG KDMR KFCE KNAO KDEN KGCN KICA KIMMITT KMCC KLFU KMSG KSEC KUM KCUL KMNP KSMT KCOM KOMCSG KSPR KPMI KRAD KIND KCRP KAUST KWAWC KTER KCHG KRDP KPAS KITA KTSC KPAOPREL KWGB KIRP KJUST KMIG KLAB KTFR KSEI KSTT KAPO KSTS KLSO KWNN KPOA KHSA KNPP KPAONZ KBTS KWWW KY KJRE KPAOKMDRKE KCRCM KSCS KWMNCI KESO KWUN KPLS KIIP KEDEM KPAOY KRIF KGICKS KREF KTRD KFRDSOCIRO KTAO KJU KWMNPHUMPRELKPAOZW KEN KO KNEI KEMR KKIV KEAI KWAC KRCIM KWCI KFIU KWIC KCORR KOMS KNNO KPAI KBWG KTTB KTBD KTIALG KILS KFEM KTDM KESS KNUC KPA KOMCCO KCEM KRCS KWBGSY KNPPIS KNNPMNUC KWN KERG KLTN KALM KCCP KSUMPHUM KREL KGH KLIP KTLA KAWK KWMM KVRP KVRC KAID KSLG KDEMK KX KIF KNPR KCFC KFTFN KTFM KPDD KCERS KMOC KDEMAF KMEPI KEMS KDRM KEPREL KBTR KEDU KNP KIRL KNNR KMPT KISLPINR KTPN KA KJUSTH KPIN KDEV KTDD KAKA KFRP KWNM KTSD KINL KJUSKUNR KWWMN KECF KWBC KPRO KVBL KOM KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KEDM KFLD KLPM KRGY KNNF KICR KIFR KM KWMNCS KAWS KLAP KPAK KDDG KCGC KID KNSD KMPF KPFO KDP KCMR KRMS KNPT KNNNP KTIAPARM KDTB KNUP KPGOV KNAP KNNC KUK KSRE KREISLER KIVP KQ KTIAEUN KPALAOIS KRM KISLAO KWM KFLOA
PHUM PINR PTER PGOV PREL PREF PL PM PHSA PE PARM PINS PK PUNE PO PALESTINIAN PU PBTS PROP PTBS POL POLI PA PGOVZI POLMIL POLITICAL PARTIES POLM PD POLITICS POLICY PAS PMIL PINT PNAT PV PKO PPOL PERSONS PING PBIO PH PETR PARMS PRES PCON PETERS PRELBR PT PLAB PP PAK PDEM PKPA PSOCI PF PLO PTERM PJUS PSOE PELOSI PROPERTY PGOVPREL PARP PRL PNIR PHUMKPAL PG PREZ PGIC PBOV PAO PKK PROV PHSAK PHUMPREL PROTECTION PGOVBL PSI PRELPK PGOVENRG PUM PRELKPKO PATTY PSOC PRIVATIZATION PRELSP PGOVEAIDUKNOSWGMHUCANLLHFRSPITNZ PMIG PREC PAIGH PROG PSHA PARK PETER POG PHUS PPREL PS PTERPREL PRELPGOV POV PKPO PGOVECON POUS PGOVPRELPHUMPREFSMIGELABEAIDKCRMKWMN PWBG PMAR PREM PAR PNR PRELPGOVEAIDECONEINVBEXPSCULOIIPBTIO PARMIR PGOVGM PHUH PARTM PN PRE PTE PY POLUN PPEL PDOV PGOVSOCI PIRF PGOVPM PBST PRELEVU PGOR PBTSRU PRM PRELKPAOIZ PGVO PERL PGOC PAGR PMIN PHUMR PVIP PPD PGV PRAM PINL PKPAL PTERE PGOF PINO PHAS PODC PRHUM PHUMA PREO PPA PEPFAR PGO PRGOV PAC PRESL PORG PKFK PEPR PRELP PREFA PNG PGOVPHUMKPAO PRELECON PINOCHET PFOR PGOVLO PHUMBA PRELC PREK PHUME PHJM POLINT PGOVPZ PGOVKCRM PGOVE PHALANAGE PARTY PECON PEACE PROCESS PLN PRELSW PAHO PEDRO PRELA PASS PPAO PGPV PNUM PCUL PGGV PSA PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA PGIV PRFE POGOV PEL PBT PAMQ PINF PSEPC POSTS PHUMPGOV PVOV PHSAPREL PROLIFERATION PENA PRELTBIOBA PIN PRELL PGOVPTER PHAM PHYTRP PTEL PTERPGOV PHARM PROTESTS PRELAF PKBL PRELKPAO PKNP PARMP PHUML PFOV PERM PUOS PRELGOV PHUMPTER PARAGRAPH PERURENA PBTSEWWT PCI PETROL PINSO PINSCE PQL PEREZ PBS

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 08HANOI448, Unexpected Progress on Catholic Church Land Issues

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #08HANOI448.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
08HANOI448 2008-04-18 04:07 2011-08-25 00:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Hanoi
VZCZCXRO9479
RR RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHHI #0448/01 1090407
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 180407Z APR 08 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7644
INFO RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH 4605
RUEHROV/AMEMBASSY VATICAN 0049
RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 000448 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/MLS AND DRL/IRF 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KIRF PHUM PGOV PREL VM
SUBJECT:  Unexpected Progress on Catholic Church Land Issues 
 
REFS: A. HANOI 0278; B. HANOI 0442 
 
HANOI 00000448  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
1.  (SBU) Summary:  In an unexpected move, central Quang Tri 
Provincial authorities announced a Government of Vietnam (GVN) 
decision to return the La Vang property to the Catholic Church 
following meetings in late March and early April between GVN 
authorities and the Catholic Episcopal Council of Vietnam.  The La 
Vang church and pilgrimage center is one of three "priority 
properties" the Catholic Church has formally requested the GVN 
return and a significant Catholic pilgrimage site in Vietnam.  The 
two sides also discussed a resolution to the ongoing property 
dispute over the former Vatican residence in Hanoi (Ref. A).  With 
the return of the La Vang property and an ongoing dialogue with the 
GVN on the former Vatican residence, the Catholic Church continues 
to inch closer to solving its major property disputes with the GVN. 
Nevertheless, other Catholic property disputes, including an ongoing 
demonstration at Thai Ha parish in Hanoi (Ref. B), remain 
unresolved.  End summary. 
 
La Vang Church, Quang Tri Province 
---------------------------------- 
 
2. (SBU) According to Father Thomas Thuy, an administrator in  the 
Hanoi Archbishop's Office, the GVN made the decision to return the 
long-disputed land in central Quang Tri province following a meeting 
on March 20, between Vice Minister of Public Security Nguyen Van 
Huong and the President of the Episcopal Council of Vietnam, Dalat 
Bishop Nguyen Van Nhon, at which they reportedly discussed the 
return of the land in Quang Tri, as well as developments regarding 
the Papal nuncio land issue in Hanoi. (Note. The La Vang property is 
one of three "priority properties" the Catholic Church has formally 
requested the GVN return to the Episcopal Council; the other two are 
the former Papal Nuncio in Hanoi and the Pius X Pontifical Institute 
in Dalat. End Note.) 
 
3. (SBU) On April 10, provincial authorities met with leaders of the 
Hue Archdiocese (which covers Quang Tri) and announced that they 
would return 20 hectares of land (out of a total of approximately 23 
hectares) to the Archdiocese.  Previously belonging to a parish 
church dedicated to "Our Mary of La Vang" before 1975, the land was 
confiscated by the GVN after 1975.  While a church was built to 
replace the one destroyed during the war and several private 
residences have been built on the site, most of the property has 
remained largely unused ever since.  At a March 20 meeting, Bishop 
Nhon told MPS Vice Minister Huong that the Church would be willing 
to help with compensation for households on the 20 hectares that 
would need to be resettled as part of the handover.  Catholic 
sources confirm that the GVN and the Catholic Church also agreed 
that the remaining 2-3 hectares, now housing several local 
Government buildings, would eventually be returned to the Catholic 
Church at a later date. 
 
4. (SBU) The process of actually handing over the land is still 
subject to detailed discussions between the Catholic Church and the 
Quang Tri provincial authorities.  Bishop Nhon reported that the 
Church plans to upgrade the site and build additional facilities, 
turning the current "Our Mary of La Vang" Pilgrimage Center into a 
national Catholic pilgrimage complex.  Separately, Church officials 
expressed some concern to POL staff that discussions with provincial 
authorities on compensation rates and other technical aspects may be 
lengthy and complicated, delaying the date of an actual turnover. 
 
Former Vatican Residence, Hanoi 
------------------------------- 
 
5. (SBU) The ongoing issue of the former Vatican residence was also 
discussed during the March 20 meeting (Ref A.).  Bishop Nhon 
reportedly refused Vice Minister Huong's proposal that the GVN 
provide the Church with a new plot of land in exchange for the land 
currently occupied by the former Vatican residence.  "Vietnamese 
bishops will not compromise when it comes to the Papal Nuncio issue. 
 They are willing to compensate for the construction that has been 
built on the site through the years, and that's about it," Father 
Thuy of the Hanoi Archbishop's office asserted. (Note: There are 
several buildings on the site, including a restaurant, now closed, 
and a community center with a swimming pool and dance hall. End 
note.) 
 
6. (SBU) Father Thuy went on to say that the Church leadership 
believes that the GVN decision to return the land in Quang Tri was 
designed to ease the flow of numerous formal requests to reclaim 
Catholic properties in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and elsewhere.  The 
GVN decision would also send a message to the Holy See about the 
GVN's willingness to address pending issues of interest to the 
Catholic Church in Vietnam, in advance of a Vatican delegation that 
is expected to visit Vietnam in June 2008 to conduct regular 
bilateral meetings with the GVN.  However, Father Thuy acknowledged 
that the Vatican delegation would likely not formally raise the 
 
HANOI 00000448  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
Vietnamese Catholic Church's request to claim back its major 
properties with the GVN during the talks. 
 
7. (SBU) Father Thuy went on to note that in recent years the 
Catholic Church has not made its disagreements with the GVN public, 
understanding that the GVN prefers to keep these issues out of the 
spotlight.  However, it appears that the Church's patience with the 
GVN's lack of responsiveness has begun to run out.  Father Thuy 
asserted that by making the pending requests publicly known, the 
Catholic hierarchy believes it is now putting justified pressure on 
the GVN to take action on claims, instead of just ignoring them. 
 
Comment: Progress on Property Issue, More to Come 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
8. (SBU) With the pending return of the La Vang property and an 
ongoing dialogue with the GVN on the former Vatican residence, the 
Catholic Church continues to inch closer to solving its major 
property disputes with the GVN.  The GVN is likely betting that 
approval of the return of the La Vang property will stem the flow of 
Church property claim requests.  However, as the Church gains 
success in getting property returned, and brings more of its 
concerns into public, more parishes are now jumping on the bandwagon 
and pushing the GVN for the return of disputed property.  Whether 
the GVN could now backtrack remains to be seen.  The decision to 
return the La Vang property may buy the GVN some breathing room, but 
the issue of disputed Church property is now one that will not be 
ignored for long. 
 
MICHALAK