[Q] International Copyrights

A group of Vietnamese volunteers tried to produce an on-line version of a Vietnamese-Vietnamese dictionary (along the line of Project Gutenberg, I guess). There are two choices:

   (a). one dictionary published in 1971 in the south (under the now

        defunct Republic of Vietnam government) and    (b). one dictionary published recently in 1990 in Hanoi (under the

        current Socialist Republic of Vietnam government).

The group wants to proceed but at points, the discussion was focused on copyright issues and yet, none of them was legal experts. Can anyone shed some lights on the following copyright issues/questions:

1. What would happen if they choose (a) on the basis that:
   (1a) the work was published more than 20 years ago;
   (1b) under a government which now ceased to exist;
   (1c) the original publisher cannot be contacted;
   (1d) there was no copyright statement on the work;
   (1e) Vietnam did not sign the Berne/Universal conventions
   
2. What would happen if they choose (b) on the basis that:
   (2a) there was no copyright statement on the work
   (2b) Vietnam did not sign the Berne/Universal conventions
   
3. Does the fact that Vietnam did not sign the Berne/Universal conventions mean that US authors do not have copyright protections in Vietnam? Vice versa, do Vietnamese authors have copyright protections in the US? I have seen quite a number of instances of blunt copyright violations from both sides. I won't be surprised if this happens in other non-signatory countries as well. If someone in the know can shed the light and educate the public, it would be great.
4. T. Nguyen <nguyen2[_at_]watserv1.uwaterloo.ca>