HINTS OF VIETNAMESE SUPPORT FOR U.S. NOMINEE STEVEN LETT TO

UNCLAS HANOI 002415 SIPDIS STATE FOR IO/T LAURENCE TOBEY AND EB/CIP/TS DOUGLAS MAY SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON AORC ECPS EU EWWT IMO INMARSAT KHLS VM SUBJECT: HINTS OF VIETNAMESE SUPPORT FOR U.S. NOMINEE STEVEN LETT TO IMSO This cable contains sensitive information and should not be posted on the Internet. Ref: A) State 140757 B) Hanoi 2229 C) Hanoi 2312 D) State 150486 ¶1. (SBU) Supplementing two earlier demarches to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Post and Telematics (Refs B and C),Econ/C delivered talking points and color campaign brochure (Ref A) to VISHIPEL Deputy Director Mr. Phan Ngoc Quang on September 20. VISHIPEL is the state-owned enterprise designated to represent the Government of Vietnam (GVN) in the International Mobile Satellite Organization (IMSO). Econ/C strongly encouraged VISHIPEL to provide Vietnam's vote for Mr. Steven Lett's candidacy to be Director of the IMSO, underscoring the high-level interest in this vote within the U.S. Government. Quang responded that, while VISHIPEL had not committed to a particular candidate, in principle it has "no objection to supporting" Lett to head IMSO. Mr. Quang said that VISHIPEL will not attend the IMSO Assembly of Parties, but will submit its vote via a proxy form to the organization. ¶2. (SBU) Comment: Although Quang stopped short of a solid promise, his tone was positive and encouraging. ALOISI 2