- Title: Vietnam says regrets German kidnapping accusation
- Date: 3rd August 2017
- Summary: HANOI, VIETNAM (AUGUST 3, 2017) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF A STATEMENT SAYING THANH HAD TURNED HIMSELF IN ON THE WEBSITE OF VIETNAM'S MINISTRY OF POLICE
- Embargoed: 17th August 2017 12:04
- Keywords: Vietnam germany kidnapping accused
- Location: HANOI, VIETNAM
- City: HANOI, VIETNAM
- Country: Vietnam
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0036SLR4G7
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: **PART AUDIO QUALITY AS INCOMING**
Vietnam's foreign ministry on Thursday (August 3) expressed regret over a statement from Germany accusing Vietnam of kidnapping a former oil executive, and said Hanoi wants to develop a "strategic relationship" with Germany.
Germany's foreign ministry on Wednesday (August 2) accused Vietnam of kidnapping Vietnamese Trinh Xuan Thanh, a former executive at state oil company PetroVietnam, who faces charges of financial mismanagement in Vietnam.
After a 10-month international manhunt, Thanh turned himself in on Monday (July 31), police in Vietnam said, without saying why. The ministry of public security said he is under investigation, the foreign ministry spokesperson said.
Berlin ordered the Vietnamese intelligence officer to leave Germany within 48 hours in response, and demanded that Thanh be allowed to return.
Thanh, 51, was a former high flyer at PetroVietnam Construction JSC, part of the state energy company PetroVietnam. He came to public attention in mid-2016 when he was found to have a luxury Lexus car with a government license plate, causing an outcry in a country where officials are expected to live modestly.
Thanh took sick leave last year and went abroad, vanishing from the public eye until now.
Germany's Sueddeutsche newspaper reported he had requested asylum after his arrival in Germany and had been due to appear at a hearing about the request on July 24.
His asylum application has not been completed and was still being processed, Germany's foreign ministry said on Thursday. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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