The fourth ambassador to Vietnam, Michael H. Michalak, answered questions concerning imprisoned dissidents and future plans for Vietnamese and American cooperation at a press conference organized by Dr. Ngai Nguyen of San Jose on October 12, 2008.  The event was held at the Fairmont Hotel Garden Room.

            “There are seventy political prisoners in Vietnam today,” he told the assembled journalists.  “I have met with Father Nguyen Van Ly , Le Thi Cong Nhan, and Nguyen Van Dai in prison and their families outside of prison.”  When asked by  Đời Mới Vietnamese Weekly Magazine of San Jose he noted the courage of the imprisoned Bloc 8406 leaders to “express their convictions and take the consequences.” 

            The ambassador strongly reinforced support for free expression, free association, and freedom on the press in Vietnam. 

            Answering the question about the Catholics  in Thai Ha, the ambassador carefully answered that “the U.S. government does not involve itself in Thai Ha.” However, he has met with Rev. Kiet, and advised the Vietnamese government to set up a system to resolve land issues.  The ambassador  predicted that demonstrations will continue if the VN government doesn't methodically deal with the “hot-button” issue of land disputes.  He referred to the demonstrations in Saigon last year by peasants as another example.

            Communication with Vietnamese Americans was of particular interest to the gathered journalists.  The editor of Viet Nam Daily News asked about having a town hall meeting in San Jose – as there was in Orange County and Ambassador Michalak replied that possibly there could be one next year.  Another representative from the Viet Nam Daily News suggested that a planned Vietnamese consulate in Houston would be objected to by Vietnamese Americans.  Was the Ambassador willing to consider the views of Vietnamese Americans?  His response can best be understood by viewing the video of the press conference the press conference by Viet Nam Daily News:  http://www.vietnamdaily.com/index.php?c=article&p=46900

            The subject of the safety of foods from Vietnam was introduced by Bui Van Phu.  Ambassador Michalak responded that the issues of contamination as in China could not occur in Vietnam. He encourages the government to protect “the Vietnam brand” by embracing “global standards” of processing and safety.  He sees the present economic crisis as beneficial to Vietnamese exports, which are primarily food and textiles.  The United States is the largest importer of Vietnamese goods, he stated. 

            The major aspect of the current economic crisis that is a negative influence on Vietnam is the effect of financial losses to Vietnamese Americans (whom he called “overseas Vietnamese”) on the remittances to relatives in Vietnam.  This is a significant part of the GNP of Vietnam—at least 10%--and those economic losses may be a permanent negative on this historic practice.    

            The question that  Jean Libby raised as editor of Viet Am Review was a request  to place ten books by the renowned poet Nguyen Chi Thien in the library of the American Embassy in Hanoi for research and reference.  His response was positive but noncommittal and I was directed to send them through the State Dept. in Washington D.C.  Nguyen Chi Thien has been an American citizen since 2004.  This would be an appropriate location for his work that is not allowed in schools or libraries by the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, who imprisoned him for twenty-seven years, beginning in 1961, for the crime of “anti-Propaganda.” 

        The event ended with a public thanks from Vietnamese American Charlie Lee, from Philadelphia, who had been placed under confinement at his hotel for twenty days in Saigon, his passport confiscated, and interrogated daily -- all without charge.  Ambassador Michalak had personally intervened to bring Charlie Lee home.  He is pictured alongside this column.