Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
02HANOI2465
2002-10-10 07:41:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Hanoi
Cable title:  

VIETNAM: APEC OCTOBER MEETING (C-AL2-00879)

Tags:  PINR ECIN VM KPRP APEC CTERR 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

100741Z Oct 02

2002HANOI02465 - CONFIDENTIAL
 
 
 
 CONFIDENTIAL PTQ2721

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ACTION INR-00 

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AGRE-00 AID-00 AIT-03 AMAD-00 CIAE-00 
 COME-00 DINT-00 DODE-00 DOTE-00 DS-00 EAP-00 EB-00 
 EUR-00 OIGO-00 E-00 FAAE-00 FBIE-00 TEDE-00 LAB-01 
 MMP-00 MOFM-05 MOF-01 DCP-01 NSAE-00 OIG-03 SSO-00 
 STR-00 TRSE-00 EPAE-00 DSCC-00 LBA-00 DRL-02 G-00 
 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /016W
 ------------------F4DECB 100807Z /38 
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 7764
INFO APEC COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 002465 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/10/12
TAGS: PINR ECIN VM KPRP APEC CTERR
SUBJECT: VIETNAM: APEC OCTOBER MEETING (C-AL2-00879)

REF: STATE 184827

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 002465

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/10/12
TAGS: PINR ECIN VM KPRP APEC CTERR
SUBJECT: VIETNAM: APEC OCTOBER MEETING (C-AL2-00879)

REF: STATE 184827


1. (U) CLASSIFIED BY CLAIRE A. PIERANGELO, ECONOMIC

COUNSELOR. REASON 1.5 (C).


2. (C) POST HAS HAD A NUMBER OF DISCUSSIONS WITH GVN
OFFICIALS OVER THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS REGARDING APEC AND
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VIETNAM'S ROLE. WHILE VIETNAM IS WORKING HARD TO
PARTICIPATE IN MORE APEC ACTIVITIES, IT IS HAMPERED BY ITS
SEVERE PERSONNEL AND RESOURCE CONSTRAINTS AS WELL AS A
CHRONIC LACK OF "DEEP THINKING" AT SENIOR-MOST LEVELS. WE
FIND IT A VERY DIFFERENT STORY AT THE GVN'S WORKING LEVEL,
BUT DO NOT SEE THAT ENERGY AND CREATIVE THOUGHT PROCESS
TRANSLATING INTO OVERALL GVN POLICY ON APEC - YET.
OVERALL, DECISION-MAKING WITHIN THE GVN REMAINS VERY MUCH
TOP-DOWN AND CONSENSUS-BASED, FURTHER LIMITING THE GVN'S
ABILITY TO RESPOND TO -- MUCH LESS PROPOSE -- NEW
INITIATIVES.


3. (C) THE PRIMARY GOAL FOR VIETNAM AT THE UPCOMING
OCTOBER MEETING IS TO GET APEC AGREEMENT FOR VIETNAM TO
HOST APEC IN 2006. VIETNAM'S LONG-TERM GOAL FOR ALL APEC
MEETINGS IS TO USE THE APEC PROCESS TO FURTHER DOMESTIC
ECONOMIC REFORM GOALS (CAPACITY BUILDING) AND ITS BROADER
OBJECTIVE OF MULTI-LATERALIZING AND DIVERSIFYING ITS
FOREIGN RELATIONS AS WELL AS INCREASING REGIONAL ECONOMIC
INTEGRATION. IN MANY WAYS, VIETNAM STILL SEES APEC AS ONE-
WAY TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE STREET; CHANGING THAT ATTITUDE
WILL BE DIFFICULT. LEADING UP TO 2006, THE GVN HAS A
SPECIFIC POLICY OF HOSTING A NUMBER OF VARIOUS WORKING
GROUP MEETINGS EVERY YEAR AS PREPARATION. ACCORDING TO
MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OFFICIALS, ASEAN HAS TOLD
VIETNAM THAT IT IS VIETNAM'S TURN TO HOST IN 2006 AND THE
GVN IS TREATING IT VIRTUALLY AS A DONE DEAL. SOME MOFA
OFFICIALS HAVE CHARACTERIZED VIETNAM'S DESIRE TO HOST IN
2006 PARTIALLY AS VIETNAM'S "DUTY" AS AN ASEAN MEMBER AND
PARTIALLY AS VIETNAM'S "DUE." VIETNAM WILL WANT TO USE THE
OCCASION TO RECONFIRM 20 YEARS OF "DOI MOI" (ECONOMIC
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RENOVATION),AND RECONFIRM ITS POLICY OF REGIONAL ECONOMIC
INTEGRATION. ACCORDING TO MINISTRY OF TRADE OFFICIALS,

ASEAN ACTUALLY TRIED TO CONVINCE VIETNAM TO HOST IN 2003
AND THE GVN HAD BEEN CONSIDERING IT. HOWEVER, MOT AND
OTHER MINISTRIES OPPOSED THAT DATE, NOTING THAT VIETNAM WAS
ALREADY HOSTING THE SOUTH-EAST ASIAN GAMES AND WAS NOT
READY TO TAKE ON SUCH AN EXPENSIVE CHALLENGE. SOME
WORKING LEVEL CONTACTS AT MOT AND MINISTRY OF FINANCE (THE
BUDGET MASTERS) CONTINUE TO QUESTION WHETHER VIETNAM WILL
BE READY INTERNALLY TO HANDLE HOSTING APEC FROM FINANCIAL,
PERSONNEL AND SUBSTANTIVE PERSPECTIVES. ADMINISTRATIVELY,
HOWEVER, FEW QUESTION VIETNAM'S ABILITY TO MEET THE
INFRASTRUCTURE CHALLENGE. BUT QUESTIONS DO REMAIN ABOUT
WHETHER GVN LEADERS WILL USE THE OCCASION SIMPLY TO
CONGRATULATE THEMSELVES FOR PAST REFORMS, OR TO CONTINUE TO
PUSH THROUGH CURRENT AND FUTURE REFORMS IN ORDER TO
SHOWCASE REAL RESULTS.


4. (C) ACCORDING TO MOFA AND MOT OFFICIALS, VIETNAM FEELS
THAT MEXICO IS DOING AS GOOD A JOB AS IS POSSIBLE UNDER
"THE CIRCUMSTANCES" -- "MEXICO IS TRYING HARD, BUT THE
PROBLEM IS NOT MEXICO, IT'S APEC." THEY RESERVED THEIR
STRONG CRITICISM FOR THE APEC SECRETARIAT STAFF. MOT IN
PARTICULAR HAS BEEN UNHAPPY WITH THE APEC SECRETARIAT AND
FEELS THAT THE STAFF NEEDS TO BE MORE PROFESSIONAL AS WELL
AS DO A BETTER JOB AT SCHEDULING MEETINGS AND IN REIGNING
IN MEMBERS REGARDING LAST MINUTE PROPOSALS, WHICH LEAVE
LITTLE TIME FOR MEMBERS TO STUDY THEM ON A SUBSTANTIVE
BASIS. (THIS IS PARTICULARLY A PROBLEM FOR VIETNAM, WHICH
NORMALLY NEEDS ADDITIONAL STUDY TIME ON ANY ISSUE, NO
MATTER HOW MINOR.) MOFA AND MOT OFFICIALS AGREED THAT
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THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE APEC MEETINGS BECOME MORE
FOCUSED, WITH FEWER AND BETTER INITIATIVES. VIETNAMESE
OFFICIALS ARE CLEARLY FEELING OVERWHELMED AT THE VOLUME OF
INITIATIVES WHICH IS AT A LEVEL BEYOND THEIR CAPACITY TO
REVIEW AND EVALUATE THEM ALL.


5. (C) VIETNAMESE OFFICIALS ARE POSITIVE REGARDING
MEXICO'S THEME AND NOTED NO REAL CONTENTIOUS ISSUES, WITH
THE EXCEPTION OF POSSIBLE DIFFICULTIES REGARDING TIMING
ISSUES FOR REQUIREMENTS FOR CT INITIATIVES (SEE BELOW).


6. (C) THE GVN SHARES OUR COUNTER-TERRORISM CONCERNS BUT
HAS RAISED REAL CONCERNS ABOUT ITS OWN ABILITY TO CARRY OUT
A NUMBER OF THE PROPOSED ACTIONS UNDER STAR. THERE IS AN
HONEST LACK OF PERSONNEL, RESOURCES, AND TRAINING THAT
POSES DIFFICULTIES. THE GVN WILL PUSH FOR LONGER DEADLINES
FOR ITSELF AND OTHER DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. IT MAY WELL
PUSH TO TAKE A PATHFINDER APPROACH TO THE STAR (AND OTHER)
CT INITIATIVES. IT WILL PUSH FOR THE U.S. AND OTHER
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES TO ATTACH SPECIFIC OFFERS OF
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO THE VARIOUS CT ACTION ITEMS.


7. (C) THE GVN OFFICIALLY SUPPORTS APEC ACTIONS THAT
SUPPORT THE BOGOR GOALS BUT HAS NOT REALLY ARTICULATED WHAT
THAT MEANS IN PRACTICAL ACTION.

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL PTQ2722

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ACTION INR-00

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AGRE-00 AID-00 AIT-03 AMAD-00 CIAE-00
COME-00 DINT-00 DODE-00 DOTE-00 DS-00 EAP-00 EB-00
EUR-00 OIGO-00 E-00 FAAE-00 FBIE-00 TEDE-00 LAB-01
MMP-00 MOFM-05 MOF-01 DCP-01 NSAE-00 OIG-03 SSO-00
STR-00 TRSE-00 EPAE-00 DSCC-00 LBA-00 DRL-02 G-00
NFAT-00 SAS-00 /016W
-------------- F4DEDB 100807Z /38
R 100741Z OCT 02
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 7765
INFO APEC COLLECTIVE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 HANOI 002465

SIPDIS


8. (C) REGARDING THE LEADERS' MEETINGS, WE HAVE HEARD NO
CRITICISM FROM THE TOP LEVELS OF THE GVN, BUT AT THE
WORKING LEVEL, OFFICIALS COMPLAIN ABOUT THE QUANTITY OF

WORK INVOLVED AND THAT THE MEETINGS HAVE "TOO MUCH SHOW AND
NOT ENOUGH SUBSTANCE."


9. (C) SENIOR LEVEL GVN OFFICIALS PRAISE APEC AND
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PAGE 02 HANOI 02465 02 OF 02 100745Z
VIETNAM'S PARTICIPATION IN IT, BUT HAVE HAD LITTLE
SUBSTANTIVE COMMENT ON THE FUTURE DIRECTION FOR THE
ORGANIZATION OR ITS MANAGEMENT. IT WORKS FOR THEM,
APPARENTLY. HOWEVER, AT THE WORKING LEVEL, WE HAVE HEARD
SERIOUS CONCERNS REGARDING THE INCREDIBLY BROAD REACH OF
APEC -- "SO MANY ISSUES, SO MANY PROPOSALS, AND NO TIME TO
DEAL WITH THEM." MOT OFFICIALS HAVE COMMENTED THAT
MEMBERS ARE SO OVERWHELMED THAT THEY JUST APPROVE
INITIATIVES BECAUSE IT'S EASIER THAN ACTUALLY READING THE
DOCUMENTS AND DEBATING THE ISSUES. THEY HAVE ALSO
COMPLAINED THAT THE RESULT IS THAT NO ONE FEELS COMPELLED
ACTUALLY TO IMPLEMENT THE INITIATIVES, INCLUDING THEIR OWN
GOVERNMENT (THEY HAVE SOMETIMES HAD THE SAME COMPLAINT ABOUT
ASEAN).


10. (C) GVN OFFICIALS ARE RETICENT TO DISCUSS THE ISSUE
OF THE PRC'S ATTITUDE TOWARD TAIPEI IN APEC BEYOND THE
GVN'S OFT-STATED "ONE CHINA" POLICY AND ITS AGREEMENT THAT
APEC IS NOT A POLITICAL FORUM AND SHOULD NOT BE USED AS
SUCH.


11. (C) MOFA AND MOT OFFICIALS ARE "POSITIVE" BUT NON-
COMMITTAL REGARDING APEC FTAS. IN THEORY, THEY AGREE THAT
IT IS DESIRABLE TO WORK TOWARD FTAS IN APEC, BUT IN
REALITY, THE GVN WOULD HAVE DIFFICULTY MAKING ANY SUCH
COMMITMENTS AT THIS TIME.


12. (C) THE GVN IS IN FAVOR OF THE PATHFINDER INITIATIVE
BECAUSE IT ALLOWS VIETNAM TO OPT OUT OF TECHNICALLY OR
POLITICALLY DIFFICULT INITIATIVES. AT THE SAME TIME, GVN
OFFICIALS WORRY THAT TOO MANY INITIATIVES WILL GO THE
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PATHFINDER WAY AND VIETNAM WILL BE LEFT EVEN FURTHER
BEHIND. THE GVN WILL LIKELY PUSH FOR A "SPECIFIC PLAN"
THAT LAYS OUT POSSIBLE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO THOSE
COUNTRIES THAT OPT OUT OF PATHFINDER INITIATIVES, ALLOWING
THEM TO CATCH UP IN A REASONABLE TIME PERIOD.


13. (C) THE VIETNAMESE DELEGATION TO THE OCTOBER MEETINGS
WILL BE LED BY PRIME MINISTER PHAN VAN KHAI, AND INCLUDE
FOREIGN MINISTER NGUYEN DY NIEN, DEPUTY MINISTER OF TRADE
LE DANH VINH AND OTHER LOWER LEVEL OFFICIALS WORKING ON APEC ISSUES.
THE GVN HAS REPEATEDLY REQUESTED A BILAT WITH PRESIDENT
BUSH BUT UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS UNLIKELY TO HAPPEN, APART
FROM THE PROXIMITY OF THE PRESIDENT AND PRIME MINISTER AT
THE DINNER AND LUNCH FOR LEADERS (AT WHICH A WHISPER
INTERPRETER WILL BE ALLOWED THIS YEAR, UNLIKE IN SHANGHAI).
BURGHARDT

CONFIDENTIAL