U.S.-Asia Pacific Council

John D. Negroponte, Deputy Secretary
Washington, DC
April 11, 2008

Our relationship with Vietnam has also entered a new chapter. Our countries enjoy significant and growing trade and economic ties; an emerging military-to-military relationship; successful cooperation on health and development issues; growing cultural and educational links; and a shared interest in ensuring peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region....

I see three major tasks that the United States faces in the coming decade as we look at Asia: (1) further improving regional cooperation to complement our existing bilateral security alliances, (2) promoting continued prosperity, and (3) accommodating rising Asian powers into the international system while also challenging them to assume global leadership on major international issues.

Entire speech:  http://www.state.gov/s/d/2008/103464.htm

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No mention of human rights issues, political imprisonment, labor trafficking, Congressional resolutions (H.R. 3096).

Why should Hanoi bother about any of these issues when the U.S. Deputy Secretary of State does not? 

Jean Libby, editor
VietAm Review