Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06HANOI601
2006-03-15 11:04:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Hanoi
Cable title:  

A/DCM'S MEETING WITH MOFA VFM PHUNG ON WTO AND APEC

Tags:  ECON APEC ETRD WTRO VM 
pdf how-to read a cable
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O 151104Z MAR 06
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1121
INFO RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY 0711
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1053
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SIPDIS

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED
SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/MLS
STATE PASS USTR FOR BWEISEL and GHICKS
USDOC FOR 4431/MAC/AP/OPB/VLC/HPPHO
TREASURY FOR OASIA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON APEC ETRD WTRO VM
SUBJECT: A/DCM'S MEETING WITH MOFA VFM PHUNG ON WTO AND APEC

Sensitive -- Do not post on the internet

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 000601

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED
SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/MLS
STATE PASS USTR FOR BWEISEL and GHICKS
USDOC FOR 4431/MAC/AP/OPB/VLC/HPPHO
TREASURY FOR OASIA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON APEC ETRD WTRO VM
SUBJECT: A/DCM'S MEETING WITH MOFA VFM PHUNG ON WTO AND APEC

Sensitive -- Do not post on the internet


1. (SBU) Summary: Acting DCM Greg Stanford, accompanied by
ECON/C and Econoff, met March 14 with Ministry of Foreign
Affairs (MOFA) Vice Foreign Minister Le Cong Phung at his
request to discuss WTO negotiations. Phung said senior
Government of Vietnam (GVN) officials heard informally
during a recent Washington visit that the United States sees
our bilateral WTO negotiations progressing as follows: final
negotiations and closing during the March 24-25 Geneva
talks, an informal signing this April in Washington between
a U.S. official and Ministerial-level GVN official, followed
by a formal signing in June when the U.S. Trade
Representative and GVN Trade Minister would be in Ho Chi
Minh City for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
Trade Ministerial. Phung sought confirmation of this
proposal and initially suggested the GVN might accommodate
any version of this scenario (though, he later expressed
concern that a June signing might not permit the U.S.
Congress enough time to consider a PNTR vote before summer
recess). Stanford promised to query Washington for
clarification and then pressed Phung, who is the APEC Senior
Officials Meeting (SOM) Chair, on three concerns relating to
the Leaders' Meeting and our 2006 APEC agenda: a clarified
visa process in advance of SOM 2, more specific guidelines
on hotel allocations and enhanced support for U.S.
priorities and proposals on the APEC agenda. End Summary.

WTO
---


2. (SBU) Phung observed that while WTO progress to date has
been satisfactory, the GVN remains eager to close bilateral
negotiations as soon as possible. He asked for
clarification of what the United States envisioned as the
next steps in the process, adding that recent GVN
conversations with U.S. officials in Washington suggested
the U.S. preferred to conclude at the upcoming March 24-25
bilateral meeting in Geneva, conduct an informal signing
this April in Washington between a U.S. official and a
Ministerial-level GVN official in the capacity of a special

emissary from the Prime Minister, and finish with a formal
signing on the margins of the APEC Trade Ministerial in June
between USTR Portman and Trade Minister Truong Dinh Tuyen.
When pressed on what scenario the GVN preferred, Phung
admitted that they liked any plan that involved closing as
soon as possible and did not see the need to have both an
informal and formal signing. Phung also noted that the
Tenth Party Congress planned for sometime in April would not
impede an April signing. He did, however, express concern
that waiting until June to formalize the agreement might not
allow sufficient time for the U.S. Congress to consider a
PNTR vote before the end of the summer session.


3. (SBU) Stanford replied that while Mission Vietnam was not
aware of such a proposal, he would seek clarification from
Washington. He added that the U.S. side was very pleased
with the progress made in the January negotiating round and
hoped the March talks would produce similar results.

APEC
--------------


4. (SBU) Turning to APEC concerns, Stanford asked Phung what
the GVN planned to do to clarify and resolve the visa
situation for subsequent APEC events. Phung admitted that
there had been some confusion and problems with distributing
the visa policy to GVN embassies, but that in the next few
weeks MOFA would issue formal guidance and all APEC
delegates would receive the same type of visa, number of
entries and length of validity.


5. (SBU) Stanford also asked Phung if the customary USG
practice of providing host economies passenger manifests for
travelers on White House airplanes in lieu of individual
visa requests would satisfy GVN immigration and customs
requirements. Phung said he would look into it and get back
to us.


6. (SBU) Phung did confirm that "D" or tourist category
visas would likely be revoked during busy times of the year,
such as the upcoming 10th Party Congress meetings in Hanoi,
and certainly at the November APEC Leaders' Meeting. He

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emphasized that coordination between the GVN and United
States would be essential to ensure all official USG
travelers who needed to enter Vietnam during these periods
could do so.


7. (SBU) When Stanford raised the question of hotel space
and the U.S. need for approximately 950-1000 rooms (of which
only 400-450 have been assigned to us so far),Phung replied
that the MOFA Protocol Department is in charge of this part
of the Leaders' Meeting and would soon convene a meeting to
clarify what remaining rooms might be available.


8. (SBU) Stanford concluded the meeting by asking Phung for
the GVN's "enhanced support" of U.S. initiatives and
proposals in APEC this year. Phung replied that he was open
to proposals from all economies and that he relied on his
colleagues from the different economies "to settle their
differences."

MARINE