U.S. vote on Vietnam trade due wednesday lobbyist
HANOI - The U.S. Senate is to consider ratification of a historic
bilateral trade pact with America's former enemy Vietnam on
Wednesday, a leading lobbyist for the agreement said.
Virginia Foote, president of the U.S. Vietnam Trade Council, said
the Senate passed a motion on Tuesday to proceed with consideration
of the market-opening pact.
In an emailed statement, Foote said that meant a floor debate would
begin on Wednesday Washington time, with a final vote expected some
time after 11 a.m.
Senate approval is expected to be a formality as the agreement
enjoys broad bipartisan support.
Signed last July after years of haggling, it will allow Vietnam to
export to the United States at the same low tariff rates as most
other countries and gradually open Vietnamese markets to U.S. firms.
To take effect it needs to be ratified by both countries.
Hanoi has yet to make clear when its National Assembly will approve
the pact and U.S. criticism of Vietnam's human rights record could
be problematic.
Vietnam's Foreign Minister Nguyen Dy Nien said on Tuesday he did
not yet know when the assembly would consider the pact for
ratification.
"This depends on the working programme of Vietnam's National
Assembly. I am not aware yet of the detailed working agenda of the
assembly," he said in a statement.
Speaking to reporters last Friday, Nien said he expected the
National Assembly would take up the pact for ratification at its
next session in late November, although he added that he was not
aware of the assembly's agenda.
Vietnam has indicated in the past it would wait for Washington to
ratify the pact before considering it.
Local and foreign businesses in Vietnam have expressed concern
Hanoi could delay its ratification of the agreement if the U.S.
Senate approves a bill calling for greater respect of human rights
in Vietnam passed by the lower house on September 6, the same day
it approved the trade pact.
Last week Nien said the trade agreement and the human rights act
were separate issues, although he said then and reiterated on
Tuesday that Hanoi "strongly opposed" the rights bill.
Foreign businessman say any delay by Vietnam after U.S. approval
would be self-defeating given that Vietnamese firms stand to gain
most from quick implementation of the agreement.
Vietnam's rights record came under fresh scrutiny last month after
courts gave long jail terms to 14 ethnic minority people convicted
on charges of organising separatist protests in its Central
Highlands region earlier this year.
Vietnam and the United States normalised diplomatic ties in 1995,
20 years after the communist victory in the Vietnam War and a year
after Washington lifted a long and debilitating trade embargo on
Hanoi.
Reuters, October 3rd, 2001
Vietnam minister says in dark on trade pact timing
HANOI - Vietnam's foreign minister said on Tuesday he did not yet
know when Hanoi's National Assembly would consider for ratification
a historic trade pact with Washington signed last year.
Clarifying remarks made last week, Nguyen Dy Nien said Vietnam
would consider ratification of the agreement in accordance with
Vietnamese law.
``This depends on the working program of Vietnam's National
Assembly. I am not aware yet of the detailed working agenda of the
assembly,'' he said in a statement.
Speaking to reporters last Friday, Nien said he expected the
National Assembly would take up the pact for ratification at its
next session in November, although he added that he was not aware
of the assembly's agenda.
The assembly is due to meet next in late November.
Local and foreign businesses in Vietnam have expressed concerns
that Hanoi could delay ratifying the market-opening pact if the
U.S. Senate approves a bill calling for greater respect of human
rights in Vietnam, passed by the lower house on September 6.
Last week Nien said the trade agreement and the human rights act
were separate issues, although he said then and reiterated on
Tuesday that Hanoi ``strongly opposed'' the rights bill.
In the statement, he said he expected the U.S. Senate would ratify
the trade agreement, which was signed by the former Vietnam War
enemies in July 2000 after years of haggling.
The U.S. House of Representatives approved both the trade pact and
the rights act the week before the September 11 attacks on the
United States sent shock waves around the world and upset the
Congressional agenda.
Vietnam's Trade Minister Vu Khoan told reporters last week he did
not now know if U.S. Senate would be able to take up the trade
agreement before a recess expected this month.
Vietnam has indicated in the past it would wait for Washington to
ratify the pact before considering it.
Foreign businessman say any delay by Vietnam after U.S. approval
would be self-defeating given that Vietnamese firms stand to gain
most from quick implementation of the agreement.
Reuters - October 2nd, 2001
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