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 WASHINGTON (AP) - Despite pressure from U.S. lawmakers and President George W. Bush, Vietnamese President Nguyen Minh Triet said Friday that his country does not need to improve its human rights record.
"It's not a question of improving or not," Triet said in an interview with The Associated Press, hours after meeting with Bush. "Vietnam has its own legal framework, and those who violate the law will be handled."
Triet, the first president from the communist-led nation to visit the White House since the Vietnam War, acknowledged differences in the countries' positions on the matter and called for more dialogue. He said his talks with Bush were "frank and open" and that disagreement over human rights would not stop a thriving trade relationship from getting stronger.
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