by Nguyen Hung

During celebrations for the 20 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries, the US Secretary of State urges Hanoi to defend human rights and democracy, tying future arms sales to this condition. The danger of Beijing in the South China Sea

Hanoi (AsiaNews) - Relations between the US and Vietnam will improve even more if respect for human rights in the country also improves, said John Kerry, US Secretary of State during his visit to the Vietnamese capital.

Kerry was in Vietnam from the August 6 to 8 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the normalization of relations between the two countries.

Speaking on August 7 on "United States of America and Vietnam into the future", he stressed that although both countries respect their different political systems, the Vietnamese government should uphold universal human rights and democracy. Only in this way can bilateral relations between the two "continue" to grow and promote mutual trust. He also said that respect for human rights will serve Vietnam's best interests.

A few months ago, in June 2015, the US State Department's annual report on human rights noted that in Vietnam there is "a serious limitation of the political rights of citizens" . The report also criticized "attacks, arrests, arbitrary detentions by police on peaceful dissidents ".

"Only you - Kerry said - can decide the pace and the direction of this process of building this partnership, but I am sure you have noticed that America’s closest partnerships in the world are with countries that share a commitment to certain values".

Kerry also pushed for greater cooperation in economics, trade, maritime laws, education, as well as commitments arising from the consequences of the war in Vietnam.

In 20 years, the US-Vietnam trade has increased from $ 351 million in 1995 to the current 36 billion. But there is a growing collaboration in the field of security. Vietnam and the US are both concerned by the escalation of military and maritime might of China in the South China Sea, in particular regarding the sovereignty of the Spratlys and Paracel islands.

The US government has always said that it can not take sides in the dispute, but supports the search for a solution through peaceful means and in accordance with international law. Eitherway, in the growing collaboration that characterizes the relationship with Vietnam, last year, President Barack Obama unblocked the sale of lethal weapons to the Vietnamese coast guard.

John Kerry has said the US will not make new steps to reduce the arms embargo, unless Vietnam does not increase respect for human rights in the country

• VIETNAM
• -
• USA
• relations
• human
• rights
• arms
• sales