New Senior Leadership Taking Over

UNCLAS HANOI 001580 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/MLS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR VM SUBJECT: New Senior Leadership Taking Over Ref: A) Hanoi 1245 and previous; B) Hanoi 1398 ¶1. (SBU) Summary and Comment: Vietnam's months-long leadership transition is coming to an end this week with the National Assembly's formal election of President Nguyen Minh Triet, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dzung and National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong. Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Khiem will also assume his new role as Foreign Minister this week. As these new leaders get settled, we expect a number of changes among senior officials, including at the Foreign Ministry. End Summary and Comment. ¶2. (SBU) More than two months after the close of the 10th Party Congress at which the Communist Party of Vietnam's (CPV) new Politburo and Central Committee were chosen (Ref A),Vietnam's new senior leaders are now being formally tapped to take over. Outgoing President Tran Duc Luong, Prime Minister Phan Van Khai and National Assembly Chairman Nguyan Van An submitted their resignations to the National Assembly on June 25. ¶3. (SBU) The National Assembly subsequently elected former Hanoi Party Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong as the new Assembly Chairman. On June 27, the National Assembly elected former HCMC Party Secretary Nguyen Minh Triet as State President, and he in turn nominated Standing Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dzung to succeed Phan Van Khai as Prime Minister. Dzung's formal election to the office of Prime Minister is also scheduled to take place on June 27. ¶4. (SBU) Comment: According to a contact at the MFA, the election of the new Foreign Minister -- current Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Khiem -- will take place "sometime this week." VFM Le Van Bang told the Ambassador earlier this month that there will be a number of personnel changes in the MFA, up to and including the current vice ministers (Ref B). We expect similar personnel changes to take place throughout the GVN and National Assembly as the new leaders settle in. End Comment. MARINE