STAFFDEL ATKINS VISIT TO HANOI APRIL 15-18; BTA ON THEIR MINDS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 HANOI 000989 SIPDIS STATE FOR H, EB, EAP/BCLTV STATE PASS USTR TREASURY FOR OASIA USDOC FOR 1431/MAC/AP/HPPHO USDA FOR FAS/ITP/SHEIK & FAS/ICD USDOL FOR ILAB UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HANOI 00989 01 OF 05 260919Z E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON ETRD ELAB PREL VM BTA LABOR SUBJECT: STAFFDEL ATKINS VISIT TO HANOI APRIL 15-18; BTA ON THEIR MINDS ¶1. SUMMARY: ON THE EVE OF VIETNAM'S NINTH PARTY CONGRESS, THE GVN HOSTED A LARGE DELEGATION OF CONGRESSIONAL STAFF MEMBERS AND AN ACCOMPANYING U.S. BUSINESS GROUP. THE U.S. VIETNAM TRADE COUNCIL UNDERWROTE THE EVENT. DESPITE SENIORMOST GVN LEADERSHIP BEING TIED UP IN PRE-PARTY CONGRESS PLENUMS, THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, WITH SUPPORT FROM THE MFA AMERICAS DEPARTMENT, SUCCEEDED (AFTER MUCH EMBASSY PRODDING) IN SETTING UP A RANGE OF USEFUL MEETINGS FOR THE STAFFDEL, INCLUDING AT THE VICE MINISTERIAL LEVEL. ALTHOUGH THE STAFFDEL REPRESENTED DIFFERING VIEWS, MUCH OF THEIR ATTENTION WAS DIRECTED TO LEARNING ABOUT VIETNAM'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THE LABOR SITUATION, AND PROSPECTS FOR BTA IMPLEMENTATION. AT PRACTICALLY EVERY MEETING, THE GVN TOOK THE OCCASION TO ASK WHEN THE BTA WOULD BE TRANSMITTED TO CONGRESS. END SUMMARY ¶2. FROM APRIL 15-18, A DELEGATION OF TWELVE STAFF MEMBERS FROM BOTH THE HOUSE AND SENATE VISITED HANOI. EARNEST "CHUCK"ATKINS, CHIEF OF STAFF, OFFICE OF REPRESENTATIVE BART GORDON (D-TENNESSEE),LED THE DELEGATION. REPRESENTATIVES OF GE, APL, AIG, NIKE, ACE, U.S. BORAX, CITIGROUP, UNOCAL, AND BOEING, ALSO PARTICIPATED IN ALL EVENTS. (A LIST OF THE FULL DELEGATION, INCLUDING STAFF MEMBERS AND BUSINESS PEOPLE, CAN BE FOUND AT THE END OF THIS CABLE.) THE WASHINGTON-BASED U.S. VIETNAM TRADE COUNCIL SPONSORED THE GROUP'S VISIT TO VIETNAM. EMBASSY FOREIGN COMMERCIAL UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HANOI 00989 01 OF 05 260919Z SERVICE AND THE ECONOMIC SECTION ASSISTED IN THE ARRANGEMENTS AND SUPPORT. THIS WAS THE FIRST CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION WE CAN REMEMBER THAT ARRIVED IN VIETNAM VIA THE LAND BORDER WITH GUANGXI, CHINA. THE GROUP SUCCEEDED IN CROSSING AT DONG DANG WITHOUT DIFFICULTY AND SAW SIX HOURS WORTH OF NORTHERN VIETNAM EN ROUTE TO HANOI BY BUS. ¶3. WITH REGARD TO VIETNAMESE MEETINGS, THE DELEGATION MET WITH MEMBERS OF THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY (LED BY COMMITTEE CHAIR DO VAN TAI); OFFICIALS OF THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS (INCLUDING ASSISTANT MINISTER NGUYEN CHIEN THANG AND ACTING DIRECTOR OF AMERICA'S DEPT DOAN XUAN HUNG); OFFICIALS OF MINISTRY OF TRADE (LED BY FIRST VICE MINISTER LUONG VAN TU); OFFICIALS OF THE MINISTRY OF LABOR AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS (LED BY FIRST VICE MINISTER NGUYEN LUONG TRAO); AND REPRESENTATIVES OF THE GENERAL CONFEDERATION OF LABOR (LED BY VICE CHAIR DR. DANG NGOC CHIEN). THE GROUP ALSO MET WITH MS. ROSEMARY GREVE, RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE, INTERNATIONAL LABOR ORGANIZATION, AND THE NGO COMMITTEE OF THE HANOI CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN VIETNAM. THE EMBASSY PROVIDED AN EXTENSIVE BRIEFING FOR THE DELEGATION CHAIRED BY THE AMBASSADOR, WHO, TOGETHER WITH MRS. PETERSON, ALSO HOSTED THE DELEGATION TO A RECEPTION AT THE RESIDENCE. FROM HANOI, THE DELEGATION TRAVELED TO HCMC FOR A BRIEFER PROGRAM IN THE SOUTH. ¶4. THE FOREIGN MINISTRY MEETING NOTES PROVIDE A VIEW OF THE STAFFDELS INTERESTS AND THE GVN'S RESPONSES. ASSISTANT MINISTER THANG BEGAN THE MEETING BY EXPRESSING THE DESIRE THAT THE STAFFDEL'S VISIT WOULD SERVE TO SPEED UP UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 HANOI 00989 01 OF 05 260919Z RATIFICATION OF THE BILATERAL TRADE AGREEMENT (BTA). HE REFERRED TO RECENT IMPORTANT EVENTS IN THE RELATIONSHIP, INCLUDING FORMER PRESIDENT CLINTON'S NOVEMBER 2000 VISIT AND THE FATAL APRIL 7 CRASH OF A U.S.-VIETNAM MIA SEARCH TEAM HELICOPTER. HE EXPRESSED THE HOPE THAT BILATERAL RELATIONS WOULD CONTINUE TO PROGRESS DESPITE THE TRAGEDY OF THE CRASH. ¶5. HOUSE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE MINORITY STAFF COUNCIL TIM REIF PROVIDED THANG AN UPDATE ON THE STATUS OF BTA RATIFICATION ON THE U.S. SIDE. NOTING THE CURRENT DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN CONGRESS AND THE ADMINISTRATION, HE POINTED OUT THE BROAD CONSENSUS AMONG MEMBERS OF BOTH HOUSES AND PARTIES IN FAVOR OF PASSAGE. HE SAID THAT THERE ARE TWO PRINCIPLE ISSUES OUTSTANDING, WHETHER THE BTA SHOULD BE CONSIDERED ALONE OR AS PART OF A PACKAGE WITH OTHER AGREEMENTS, AND THE ROLE OF LABOR STANDARDS. ¶6. DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF & LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR FOR CONGRESSMAN CLAY SHAW (R-FLORIDA) CASTRO ASKED THANG WHETHER THE THEN UPCOMING PARTY CONGRESS (APRIL 19-22) WOULD CONSIDER SUCH ECONOMIC LIBERALIZATION MEASURES AS PRIVATE OWNERSHIP OF PROPERTY AND RELINQUISHING GOVERNMENT CONTROL OF THE ECONOMY. THANG REPLIED THAT THE PARTY CONGRESS WOULD ACCELERATE VIETNAM'S "DOI MOI" ("RENOVATION") PROCESS. HE SPELLED OUT THE HISTORY OF DOI MOI AND ITS ACHIEVEMENTS TO DATE. HE NOTED, HOWEVER, THAT THE STATE SECTOR WILL CONTINUE TO PLAY THE PRIMARY ROLE IN VIETNAM'S MULTISECTORAL COMMODITY ECONOMY. ¶7. JOAB LESESNE, CHIEF OF STAFF FOR SENATOR HOLLINGS (D- SOUTH CAROLINA) ASKED THANG ABOUT VIETNAM'S LEADERSHIP ROLE IN SOUTHEAST ASIA AND THE ASEAN. THANG REPLIED THAT VIETNAM'S LEADERSHIP PROFILE HAS INCREASED SINCE ASSUMING THE CHAIR OF THE ASEAN STANDING COMMITTEE LAST YEAR. HE SAID VIETNAM WOULD BE HOLDING THE 34TH ASEAN MINISTERIAL IN HANOI. HE SAID THAT "THE SOUTHEAST ASIAN SITUATION" HAD BECOME DIFFICULT. HE CITED RECENT POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC INSTABILITY IN INDONESIA, MALAYSIA, AND THE PHILIPPINES, POINTING OUT THAT VIETNAM, IN CONTRAST, "HAS MAINTAINED INTERNAL STABILITY." HE SAID VIETNAM HOPES TO FOSTER DEVELOPMENT WITHIN ASEAN DURING ITS TENURE AS CHAIR, AND NOTED THAT DESPITE INSTABILITY IN SOME ASEAN COUNTRIES, THE ORGANIZATION "STANDS UNITED." ¶8. COUNSEL REIF ASKED THANG TO COMMENT ON RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN RELATIONS BETWEEN THE U.S. AND THE PRC. THANG REPLIED THAT BOTH ARE MAJOR POWERS. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO HAS IMPLICATIONS ON PEACE AND SECURITY IN THE REGION, AND IN THE ENTIRE WORLD. AS A PEACEFUL BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP GROWS, IT WILL SERVE TO ASSURE PEACE UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HANOI 00989 02 OF 05 260920Z IN THE REGION. VIETNAM, HE SAID, HAS FOLLOWED THE EP-3 INCIDENT WITH "KEEN INTEREST." THANG CONCLUDED THAT VIETNAM DESIRES COOPERATIVE, FRIENDLY RELATIONS BETWEEN THE PRC AND THE U.S. ¶9. AUDREY LESESNE DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF FOR CONGRESSMAN MIKE MCINTRYRE ASKED THANG ABOUT VIETNAM'S ABILITY TO IMPLEMENT INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED LABOR STANDARDS. THANG EXPLAINED THAT THE MINISTRY OF LABOR, WAR INVALIDS AND SOCIAL WELFARE (MOLISA),WITH WHOM THE STAFFDEL WAS MEETING SEPARATELY, COULD ANSWER THE QUESTION IN MORE DETAIL. NEVERTHELESS, HE POINTED OUT THAT VIETNAM IS A COUNTRY OF WORKERS, EIGHTY PERCENT OF THEM IN THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR. THEY WORK UNDER EXTREMELY DIFFICULT CONDITIONS, HE SAID, CAUSED BY THE LINGERING AFTERMATH OF THE WAR AND DIFFICULT PHYSICAL CONDITIONS. HE ALSO CITED NATURAL DISASTERS, SUCH AS FLOODS. HE SAID THAT THE PEOPLE OF VIETNAM "GREATLY VALUE THE VALUE OF WORK." VIETNAM DESIRES THAT VIETNAMESE WORKERS LIVE UNDER THE SAME CONDITIONS AS OTHER WORKERS IN THE REGION. THE RIGHT CONDITIONS MUST BE CREATED SO THAT VIETNAM CAN TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF ITS LABOR FORCE, HE SAID. HE ADDED THAT VIETNAM ALSO HAS IMPLEMENTED A LABOR CODE, AND HAS JOINED THE INTERNATIONAL LABOR ORGANIZATION (ILO). HUNG ADDED THAT VIETNAM'S GOAL IS TO IMPROVE LIVING STANDARDS AND THE WORKING CONDITIONS OF THE VIETNAMESE PEOPLE. IN THIS REGARD, HE SAID HE WAS PLEASED WITH U.S.-VIETNAMESE SIGNATURE OF AN MOU ON LABOR COOPERATION. ¶10. OBSERVING THAT SIGNING THE BTA IS ONE STEP TOWARDS ACCEDING TO THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION (WTO),CASTRO ASKED WHAT ELSE VIETNAM IS DOING TO JOIN. MAN SAID THAT VIETNAM UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 HANOI 00989 02 OF 05 260920Z BEGAN NEGOTIATIONS TO ENTER THE WTO IN 1995. THE FIRST STEP, CLARIFYING THE TRADE REGIME, IS NOW COMPLETE. THE SECOND STEP IS PREPARING APPROPRIATE TARIFF REDUCTIONS AND REMOVAL OF NON-TARIFF MEASURES. ALL RELEVANT VIETNAMESE MINISTRIES ARE NOW PREPARING FOR THE INITIAL OFFER, HE SAID. THE COMPARATIVE STRENGTHS OF THE VIETNAMESE ECONOMY MUST BE IDENTIFIED IN ORDER TO BRING VIETNAM INTO THE STRONGEST POSITION POSSIBLE IN THE INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ORDER. VIETNAM HAS BEEN EXCHANGING VIEWS WITH COUNTRIES WHICH HAVE RECENTLY ACCEDED TO THE WTO, SUCH AS UKRAINE. VIETNAM IS NOW ATTEMPTING TO IDENTIFY WHO WILL BE THE FIRST PARTNER TO NEGOTIATE WITH, FOR EXAMPLE, THE EU OR THE U.S. DOMESTICALLY, HE SAID, VIETNAM NEEDS TO CONTINUE DOI MOI, ADJUST THE LEGAL SYSTEM, AND CARRY OUT THE ECONOMIC RECONSTRUCTION OF THE COUNTRY. THE DECISIVE FACTORS FOR INTEGRATION WILL BE THE EFFICIENCY AND COMPETITIVENESS OF THE VIETNAMESE ECONOMY, HE SAID. ¶11. IN THEIR MEETING WITH VICE MINISTER TU OF THE TRADE MINISTRY, THE QUESTIONS MORE SPECIFICALLY FOCUSED ON TRADE- RELATED MATTERS. CHUCK ATKINS, THE STAFFDEL LEADER, ASKED ABOUT THE NATURE OF VIETNAM'S TRADE AND WHICH SECTORS WERE GROWING. TU RESPONDED THAT DESPITE GAINS IN INDUSTRIALIZATION, VIETNAM REMAINS VERY MUCH AN AGRICULTURAL COUNTRY AND AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS ACCOUNT FOR SOME THIRTY PERCENT OF TOTAL EXPORTS. SEAFOOD PRODUCTS AND FISHERIES EXPORTS WERE DOING ESPECIALLY WELL. HANDICRAFT ITEMS WERE IMPORTANT AND HELPED ABSORB EXCESS LABOR. ELECTRONICS EXPORTS HAVE GROWN FROM ALMOST NOTHING TO A SIGNIFICANT SHARE OF TOTAL EXPORTS IN ONLY A FEW YEARS. FINALLY, TU COMMENTED ON THE GOVERNMENT'S DESIRE TO PROMOTE SOFTWARE EXPORTS IN THE FUTURE, IN PART TO PUT TO WORK MANY CURRENTLY UNDEREMPLOYED, BUT TALENTED, VIETNAMESE. ¶12. TIM REIF ASKED ABOUT VIETNAMESE EFFORTS UNDERWAY TO IMPLEMENT TRANSPARENCY AND SERVICES COMMITMENTS, AS WELL AS OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE GOODS CHAPTER OF THE BTA RELATING TO DISTRIBUTION OF GOODS, IN LIGHT OF THE MONOPOLIES OR NEAR MONOPOLIES OF SOES WHICH WILL RESIST SUCH LIBERALIZATION. REIF ALSO ASKED REGARDING INTERNATIONAL LABOR STANDARDS AND WHERE THE TRADE MINISTRY STOOD ON THAT ISSUE. TU REPLIED THAT HIS GOVERNMENT DEEPLY APPRECIATED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FROM THE U.S. GOVERNMENT AND THE USVTC (THROUGH A USAID GRANT) WHICH HAS PROVEN HIGHLY USEFUL. HE MENTIONED THE BTA WAS NEGOTIATED WITH THE WTO IN MIND AND THE GOVERNMENT WAS ALREADY TAKING STEPS TO IMPLEMENT THE AGREEMENT. A NUMBER OF VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT MINISTRIES ARE ALREADY ENGAGED IN EXAMINING THE COMMITMENTS AND ANALYZING WHAT WILL NEED TO BE DONE TO ADDRESS THE COMMITMENTS. REGARDING TRANSPARENCY, IN PARTICULAR, HE NOTED THIS SAME ISSUE ARISES NOT ONLY IN THE UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HANOI 00989 03 OF 05 260920Z BTA, BUT ALSO IN CONNECTION WITH DISCUSSIONS WHICH TAKE PLACE IN THE AFTA AND WTO CONTEXTS. TU MENTIONED RECENT LAWS ALREADY PASSED (E.G., LAST YEAR'S INVESTMENT LAW AMENDMENTS),THE CUSTOMS LAW DRAFT WHICH WILL SOON BE SUBMITTED TO THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, AND OTHERS AS EXAMPLES OF WORK UNDERWAY. HE POINTED OUT THAT VIETNAM HAS LICENSED A NUMBER OF FOREIGN INSURERS, INCLUDING AIA OF THE U.S., THUS INDICATING THAT VIETNAM IS INDEED PURSUING SERVICE SECTOR LIBERALIZATION. ¶13. WITH REGARD TO GOODS DISTRIBUTION, TU MENTIONED THAT COMPANIES LIKE COCA COLA ALREADY HAVE THEIR OWN DISTRIBUTION NETWORKS. "WE'RE ALREADY BEYOND WHAT THE COMMITMENTS REQUIRE," HE CLAIMED AT ONE POINT. FURTHERMORE, HE INDICATED THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS EQUITIZING AN EVER-LARGER NUMBER OF SOES, AND THE IMF AND WORLD BANK ARE HELPING THE GOVERNMENT IN THAT PROCESS. ON LABOR STANDARDS, TU DEFERRED TO MOLISA TO ADDRESS THE ANSWER, BUT POINTED OUT THAT THE U.S. AND VIETNAM WERE ALREADY COOPERATING VIA THE MOU ON LABOR COOPERATION AND DIALOGUE SIGNED WHEN FORMER PRESIDENT CLINTON VISITED IN NOVEMBER 2000. ¶14. SENATOR MCCAIN'S COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR NANCY IVES MENTIONED THAT THE SENATOR WAS KEEN TO HAVE THE BTA TAKEN UP IN THE CONGRESS BECAUSE IT PROVIDED A `ROADMAP' FOR REFORM OF THE TRADE AND INVESTMENT SECTORS OF THE VIETNAMESE ECONOMY. FINALLY, CONGRESSMAN DUNN'S LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR VERGIL CABASCO ASKED REGARDING VIETNAM'S APPROACH TO ILLICIT TRANSSHIPMENT OF GOODS THROUGH THE COUNTRY. VICE MINISTER TU ADMITTED THAT ILLEGAL TRANSSHIPMENT WAS NOT AN EASY PROBLEM TO DEAL WITH IN LIGHT OF THE COUNTRY'S 3000 UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 HANOI 00989 03 OF 05 260920Z KILOMETERS OF COASTLINE AND 70 SEAPORTS, BUT THE GVN WAS AWARE OF ITS IMPORTANCE AND HAS BEGUN ADDRESSING IT VIA A NEWLY ISSUED DECREE SUBJECTING WOULD BE TRANSSHIPPERS TO LICENSING REQUIREMENTS. (NB. IN MID-MAY, THE U.S. CUSTOMS SERVICE WILL PRESENT SEMINARS IN HANOI AND HCMC TO VIETNAMESE CUSTOMS AND TEXTILE INDUSTRY REPRESENTATIVES ON TRANSSHIPMENT ISSUES AND WAYS TO COMBAT THE PROBLEM. EMBASSY AND CONSULATE GENERAL HCMC ARE WORKING CLOSELY WITH MINISTRY OF TRADE AND OTHER VIETNAMESE OFFICIALS IN MAKING ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE SEMINARS.) COMMENT -------------- ¶15. THIS BACK-AND-FORTH PROVIDES ONLY A REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE OF THE CONSIDERABLE INFORMATION ABOUT VIETNAM EXCHANGED DURING THE STAFFDEL VISIT. WHILE THE BTA WAS CLEARLY FOREMOST ON THE STAFFERS' MINDS, THEY ALSO ASKED QUESTIONS THE ANSWERS TO WHICH WILL BE CONSIDERED IN THE UPCOMING ANNUAL DISAPPROVAL VOTE FOR THE JACKSON-VANIK WAIVER EXTENSION. IN ADDITION TO ECONOMIC MATTERS, THEY ALSO EXPRESSED KEEN INTEREST IN VIETNAM'S POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT. REGARDING THE LATTER INTEREST, THE STAFFDEL ARRIVED IN HANOI AT ONE OF THE MOST FASCINATING MOMENTS IN VIETNAM'S MODERN HISTORY, AS THE LEADERSHIP OF THE COUNTRY WAS BEING DECIDED IN PREPARATION FOR THE NINTH PARTY CONGRESS. ¶16. STAFFDEL LIST: EARNEST CHARLES ATKINS CHIEF OF STAFF - OFFICE OF REPRESENTATIVE BART GORDON (D- TENN) VERGIL CABASCO LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR - OFFICE OF REPRESENTATIVE JENNIFER DUNN (D-WASHINGTON) ROBERT JAMES CASTRO DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF & LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR - OFFICE OF REPRESENTATIVE CLAY SHAW (R-FLORIDA) LIONEL COLLINS CHIEF OF STAFF - OFFICE OF REPRESENTATIVE WILLIAM JEFFERSON (D-LOUISIANA) NANCY IVES COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR - OFFICE OF SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN (R- ARIZONA) UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HANOI 00989 04 OF 05 260921Z AUDREY LESESNE DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF - OFFICE OF REPRESENTATIVE MIKE MCINTRYRE (D-NORTH CAROLINA) JOAB LESESNE CHIEF OF STAFF - OFFICE OF SENATOR EARNEST HOLLINGS (D-SOUTH CAROLINA) MIKE MESSNER STAFF - DEMOCRATIC POLICY COMMITTEE, OFFICE OF HOUSE MINORITY LEADER RICHARD GEPHARDT (D-MISSOURI) DONNA M. PIGNATELLI CHIEF OF STAFF - OFFICE OF REPRESENTATIVE SHERROD BROWN (D- OHIO) TIM REIF DEMOCRATIC CHIEF TRADE COUNCIL - HOUSE COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS BRADLEY SMITH CHIEF OF STAFF - OFFICE OF REPRESENTATIVE DAVID DREIER (R- CALIFORNIA) LINDA GENE SMITH CHIEF OF STAFF - OFFICE OF REPRESENTATIVE HOWARD BERMAN (R- CALIFORNIA) ¶17. ACCOMPANYING BUSINESS REPRESENTATIVES: GEORGE ROBERT WALLACE UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 HANOI 00989 04 OF 05 260921Z DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT AND INDUSTRY, GENERAL ELECTRIC LAWRENCE COSGRIFF VICE PRESIDENT FOR GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS, APL LIMITED JOSEPH DILLON ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR INTERNATIONAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS, AIG BRAD FIGEL DIRECTOR GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS NIKE JOHN MORTIMER FISHER ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT FOR GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS ACE MICHAEL FLANNIGAN DIRECTOR GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS KENECOTT/US BORAX LIONEL JOHNSON VICE PRESIDENT DIRECTOR INTERNATIONAL GOVT RELATIONS CITIGROUP RICHARD MERSKI VICE PRESIDENT FOR GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS AIG ORSON PORTER DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS NIKE FRED SHEPHERD GENERAL MANAGER VIETNAM, UNOCAL CORP SUSAN WUNDERLY MANAGER LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS BOEING VIRGINIA FOOTE PRESIDENT, U.S.-VIETNAM TRADE COUNCIL PETERSON UNCLASSIFIED