by Vu Kim Chung
17-9-2001
The United States House of Representatives approved an agreement to normalise trade relations with Vietnam. Correspondents said the measure, which still had to be approved by the Senate, was a significant part of the reconciliation process, following the Vietnam war in the 1960s and 1970s.
Vietnam was one of the few countries not to have normal trade relations with the US.
National Assembly acknowledges US House of Representatives' passing of trade agreement
Vietnam's National Assembly acknowledged the US House of Representatives' passing the Vietnam-US bilateral trade agreement (BTA) as a new move for the benefit of both countries. So said a statement released by the National Assembly's Committee for External Relations in Hanoi on September 7, in relation to the US House of Representatives' passing the BTA and the so-called 'Vietnam Human Rights Act' on September 6.
The statement said: "Vietnam's National Assembly also expresses its discontent with the US House of Representatives' passing the so-called 'Vietnam Human Rights Act'.
"This is a rude interference into Vietnam's internal affairs and a blatant violation of the fundamental standards of international law, including the United Nations Charter, thus creating a dangerous precedent in the relations between sovereign nations," the statement stresses. It continued to say that Vietnam-US relations can be developed healthily only on the basis of mutual respect for each other's independence and sovereignty, non-interference into each other's internal affairs, and equal co-operation for mutual benefit.
"Vietnam's National Assembly strongly condemns and resolutely rejects the 'Vietnam Human Rights Act' and calls on the public in the US to stop the endorsement of this wrong act", the statement concludes.
Statement by spokeswoman of Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The Vietnam - US Trade Agreement results from efforts made by Vietnam and the United States and was concluded on the basis of respect for independence, sovereignty, equality and mutual benefit. Early approval and implementation of the Agreement are in the interest of both Vietnam and the United States. In this spirit, we recognise the approval of the Bilateral Trade Agreement by the US House of Representatives as a necessary step towards bringing it into life.
On the other hand, we strongly object to the approval of the so-called 'Vietnam Human Rights Act' by the House of Representatives. This act constitutes a flagrant distortion of the real situation in Vietnam, gross interference into Vietnam's internal affairs, runs counter to the UN Charter and fundamental principles of international law, creates a perilous precedent in international relations linking trade and economic relations with unacceptable political conditions. This document reflects the attempts of some individuals to put pressure on and set conditions for relations with Vietnam. It goes against the interests of the peoples of Vietnam and the United States and stalls the improvement of the bilateral relations. It will certainly be condemned by world public opinion.
Relations between Vietnam and the United States are those between two sovereign states and can only be further developed on the basis of respect for independence, sovereignty, non-interference into each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit. In this spirit, we vehemently reject the 'Vietnam Human Rights Act' and demand that this injudicious document be abrogated.
The United States itself carried out a brutal war of aggression in Vietnam, seriously violating the Vietnamese people's fundamental rights. The Vietnamese people have undergone a protracted and arduous struggle against foreign aggression, made untold sacrifices and suffered great losses to regain the most fundamental human rights: to live in peace, independence, freedom and human dignity and of the pursuit of happiness. The Vietnamese people are determined to preserve those sacred human rights and will not allow anyone to violate them.