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U.S. House Members, Human Rights Activists to Call for Human Rights Reform in Vietnam on Eve of Vietnamese Foreign Minister's Visit to Washington

WASHINGTON - Members of the U.S. House of Representatives and human rights activists will hold a press conference tomorrow to call on Secretary of
State Condoleezza Rice to press for an end to the human rights
abuses-including recent arrests of pro-democracy advocates and continued
religious persecution-in Vietnam during her visit with the Vietnamese
foreign minister this week.

Secretary Rice is set to meet with Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and
Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem in Washington this Thursday and the press
conference will focus on the issues and instances of particular human rights
abuses that U.S. House members want Secretary Rice to address during her
meeting.

PARTICIPANTS:

*       U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Co-Chair of the House Vietnam Caucus
*       U.S. Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Co-Chair of the House Vietnam Caucus
*       U.S. Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA)
*       Helen Ngo, Committee for Religious Freedom in Vietnam
*       Nguyen Dinh Thang, Boat People SOS
***Other participants invited, but not yet confirmed

WHEN: Wednesday, March 14, 2007
         11:00 AM

WHERE: Cannon Terrace (The elevated terrace adjacent to the Cannon House
Office Building's entrance at Independence and New Jersey Avenues)

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For Immediate Release
Contact: Patrick J. Creamer
Communications Director
Office of Congressman Christopher Smith (NJ-04)
2373 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: (202) 225-3765
Fax: (202) 225-7768
For the latest news on Rep. Smith,
please visit www.house.gov/chrissmith

 

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