- U.S Embassy officials' visit to Hue and Thich Thien Hanh

U.S Embassy officials' visit to Hue and Thich Thien Hanh

ANSWER TO CORRESPONDENTS BY MR. LE DZUNG, THE SPOKESMAN
OF THE VIETNAMESE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS ON 8th APRIL 2004

AP and REUTERS: Can you please comment on a report by the France-based International Buddhist Information Bureau which says that US Embassy officials were prevented from visiting Thich Thien Hanh by police. Why has Hanh been confined to his pagoda?

Answer:

According to competent authorities, from March 29-31, 2004, political officer of the US Embassy and a Vice consul of the US Consulate in Ho Chi Minh city visited Hue city and worked with some provincial officials. During their stay in Hue, the US side had working meetings with the provincial Committee of Religious Affairs and the Hue Protestant Congregation and paid a courtesy visit to Archbishop Pham Nhu The. All activities proposed in the official note of the US Embassy were carried out thanks to arrangement by the provincial authorities.

As far as we know, during the visit to Hue, the

side did not mention a meeting with Thich Thien Hanh. Reports that security forces created traffic jams and locked up Bao Quoc pagoda are fabrications.

I would like to add that Thich Thien Hanh is in no way under detention as reported.

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