US, Vietnam to deepen relationship despite human rights differences

Jul 22, 2010, 11:28 GMT

Hanoi - The US and Vietnam pledged on Thursday to deepen their relationship despite their differences over human rights.

US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton arrived in Hanoi early Thursday to attend the Regional Forum of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Thursday and Friday.

After a meeting with Pham Gia Khiem, the Vietnamese deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs, she said the US was prepared to take the US-Vietnam relationship to the next level.

Clinton said the United States was seeking to promote economic growth in Vietnam through integration into the regional and global economy. Expanding trade links between the two countries would also create jobs in both, she said.

The meeting with Khiem covered issues including trade, investment, health, education, good governance, human rights, and humanitarian and security issues, Clinton added.

She said that the US was still concerned about Vietnam's human rights record.

Vietnam was 'on the path to being a great nation with an unlimited potential,' Clinton said,'and that is among the reasons we express concern about arrests and convictions of people for peaceful dissent, attacks on religious groups and curbs on internet freedom.'

'We look to work in a spirit of cooperation and friendship to support efforts to pursue reforms and protect basic rights and freedoms in Vietnam.'

Khiem acknowledged their different views on human rights issues, but also vowed to deepen the relationship between the two former enemies.

'I reaffirmed the commitment of Vietnam to strengthen our relationship with the US in the spirit of leaving the past behind,' he said.

Clinton's visit also marked the 15th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the United States.