US-ASEAN DIALOGUE PARTNERSHIP WITH VIETNAM

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 001816

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV, EAP/RSP - JAMES HUSKEY
STATE PASS USTR
STATE PASS USAID FOR AMS
STATE ALSO PASS USAID FOR DEL MCCLUSKEY
MANILA PASS USAID FOR JRYAN
PHNOM PENH PASS USAID FOR LBRADSHAW
USDOC FOR 4421/MAC/AP/AKJA/HPPHO
TREASURY FOR OASIA
TREASURY ALSO FOR U.S. CUSTOMS SERVICE, OFF INTL COOP
USDA FOR FAA/AO/SSAP/HEUTE, IPT/ODA/SHEIKH
UNCLASSIFIED

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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL VM ASEAN
SUBJECT: US-ASEAN DIALOGUE PARTNERSHIP WITH VIETNAM



1. THIS IS AN ACTION CABLE. SEE PARAS 6-7.


2. POLCOUNS AND POLOFF CALLED ON MFA ASEAN DEPARTMENT
DEPUTY DIRECTOR PHAM HUU CHI AUGUST 15 TO DISCUSS VIETNAM'S
DESIGNATION AS THE U.S' CURRENT ASEAN DIALOGUE PARTNER AND
EXPLORE PRODUCTIVE DIALOGUE AREAS. CHI SAID THAT, AS
FOREIGN MINISTER NGUYEN DY NIEN EXPRESSED AT THE RECENT
BANGKOK POST-MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE, VIETNAM WANTS TO BE A
SERIOUS DIALOGUE PARTNER WITH THE U.S. AND MAKE THE NEXT
THREE YEARS PRODUCTIVE. VIETNAM WANTS TO HAVE OPEN EARS,
AND WELCOMES ANY SUGGESTIONS FROM THE U.S. ON MOVING THE
DIALOGUE FORWARD. VIETNAM, CHI ADDED, IS IN AN ESPECIALLY
GOOD POSITION THIS YEAR AS ASEAN STANDING COMMITTEE AND
ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM CHAIR TO PROMOTE THE DIALOGUE
PARTNERSHIP.


3. VIETNAM AND THE U.S. HAVE CONSIDERABLE COMMON GROUND ON
AREAS SUCH AS POVERTY REDUCTION, ECONOMIC REFORM,
TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES, AND REGIONAL SECURITY, CHI SAID, WHICH
WOULD BE PRODUCTIVE DIALOGUE AREAS:

-- VIETNAM BELIEVES U.S. ASSISTANCE TO ASEAN ON
POVERTY REDUCTION WOULD BE ESPECIALLY VALUABLE, PARTICULARLY
IMPLEMENTATION OF HANOI PLAN OF ACTION (HPA) PROGRAMS WITH
THIS AIM.

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-- VIETNAM CONSIDERS U.S.-ASEAN TRADE TIES A PRIORITY,
AND HOPES THAT THE RECENT CONCLUSION OF THE BILATERAL TRADE
AGREEMENT REPRESENTS A TREND OF BROADENING TIES THAT WILL
CONTINUE. ALONG THESE LINES, CHI NOTED THAT VIETNAM ALSO
APPRECIATES U.S. SUPPORT FOR THE APPLICATIONS OF NON-WTO
ASEAN MEMBERS (INCLUDING VIETNAM) TO JOIN THE WTO.

-- VIETNAM BELIEVES DISCUSSION OF TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES
IS IMPORTANT, AND HOPES THAT COUNTER-NARCOTICS COOPERATION
BETWEEN THE U.S. AND ASEAN CAN EXPAND. A BILATERAL
COUNTERNARCOTICS AGREEMENT WOULD HELP IN THIS REGARD.


4. CHI MENTIONED THAT IT WOULD HELP VIETNAM GREATLY AS
COORDINATOR OF THE U.S.-ASEAN DIALOGUE IF FOREIGN MINISTER
NIEN COULD MEET WITH SECRETARY ALBRIGHT DURING HIS TRAVEL TO
THE U.S. FOR THE UNGA IN SEPTEMBER.


5. IN A SEPARATE AUGUST 16 MEETING WITH POLOFF, MFA ASEAN
DEPARTMENT DEPUTY DIRECTOR NGUYEN HOANG AN ECHOED THE
REQUEST FOR A NIEN MEETING WITH THE SECRETARY IN SEPTEMBER.
AN ALSO LAID OUT SPECIFIC REQUESTS FOR U.S.
INVOLVEMENT/ASSISTANCE AS PART OF ITS DIALOGUE WITH ASEAN:

-- U.S. CONTRIBUTION TO AN ASEAN HUMAN RESOURCES
DEVELOPMENT FUND

-- CONSIDERATION OF U.S. SCHOLARSHIPS FOR ASEAN
STUDENTS

-- OTHER TRAINING PROJECTS/OPPORTUNITIES

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-- U.S. PARTICIPATION IN HPA INITIATIVES TO DEVELOP THE
MEKONG BASIN AND THE EAST-WEST CORRIDOR, WHICH WOULD AFFECT
VIETNAM AS WELL AS SEVERAL OTHER OF THE NEWER ASEAN MEMBERS.
PRIORITY PROJECTS ARE JOB CREATION, JOB TRAINING, AND
TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER.


6. ACTION REQUEST: REQUEST DEPARTMENT FEEDBACK ON PARAS 3
AND 5 SUGGESTIONS FOR EMBASSY TO PASS BACK TO THE MFA.


7. ACTION REQUEST CONTINUED: CHI PASSED POLCOUNS A COPY
OF A DOCUMENT, FAXED FROM THE SRV EMBASSY IN WASHINGTON,
ENTITLED "DISCUSSION PAPER FOR USTR-ASEAN TRADE AND
INVESTMENT MEETING." THE DOCUMENT, THE AGENCY ORIGIN OF
WHICH IS UNCLEAR, PROPOSES A U.S.-ASEAN DIALOGUE MEETING
WITH AN AGENDA INCLUDING WTO, APEC, REGIONAL TRADE
ARRANGEMENTS, INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, AND BIOTECHNOLOGY, AND
SOLICITS VIETNAM'S VIEWS ON A DATE AND VENUE FOR SUCH A
MEETING. EMBASSY WAS COMPLETELY UNAWARE OF THIS PROPOSAL
UNTIL IT WAS PASSED TO US BY OUR VIETNAMESE COUNTERPARTS.
REQUEST DEPARTMENT KEEP US INFORMED OF WASHINGTON PLANS AND
OBJECTIVES FOR THE DIALOGUE, SO THAT WE CAN BE EFFECTIVE
COORDINATORS.


PETERSON

UNCLASSIFIED