Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06USUNNEWYORK1542
2006-08-15 20:44:00
CONFIDENTIAL
USUN New York
Cable title:  

S/E LEFKOWITZ MEETING WITH VIETNAMESE PERM REP

Tags:  PREL PREF PHUM PGOV KN KS VM 
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VZCZCXRO1154
RR RUEHHM
DE RUCNDT #1542 2272044
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 152044Z AUG 06
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9843
INFO RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK 0521
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0854
RUEHHI/AMEMBASSY HANOI 0125
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 0683
RUEHUM/AMEMBASSY ULAANBAATAR 0451
RUEHGZ/AMCONSUL GUANGZHOU 0015
RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY 0001
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 0010
RUEHSH/AMCONSUL SHENYANG 0016
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 2228
C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 001542 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/14/2011
TAGS: PREL PREF PHUM PGOV KN KS VM
SUBJECT: S/E LEFKOWITZ MEETING WITH VIETNAMESE PERM REP


Classified By: Political Counselor William Brencick, for reasons 1.4 b,
d.

C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 001542

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/14/2011
TAGS: PREL PREF PHUM PGOV KN KS VM
SUBJECT: S/E LEFKOWITZ MEETING WITH VIETNAMESE PERM REP


Classified By: Political Counselor William Brencick, for reasons 1.4 b,
d.


1. (C) Summary: Special Envoy Jay Lefkowitz met with
Vietnamese Perm Rep Le Luong Minh to discuss North Korean
refugees. While professing a lack of knowledge about North
Korean refugees in Vietnam, Perm Rep Minh took note of our
interest in this issue and said he would report this to his
capital. Minh did not indicate that Vietnam would not
cooperate with us on the issue of North Korean refugees. End
Summary.


2. (C) Meeting on August 11 at the Vietnamese Mission to the
UN, Special Envoy for Human Rights in North Korea Jay
Lefkowitz met with Vietnamese Perm Rep Le Luong Minh. Also
joining were G/SENK Senior Advisor Christian Whiton and USUN
note taker Bridget Lines on the U.S. side, and Second
Secretary Nguyen Ha An on the Vietnamese side.

SIPDIS


3. (C) Special Envoy Lefkowitz began by providing background
on the creation of his position and his appointment by the
President. He noted the President Bush,s interest in North
Korean human rights and refugees. He stated our interest in
working quietly with governments in the region, including
Vietnam, in securing the safety of North Korean refugees,
including resettling some in the U.S.


4. (C) Perm Rep Minh said he was not aware of our interest in
the issue. Responding to a question from Special Envoy
Lefkowitz, Minh said he did not know how many North Koreans
were present in Vietnam. Minh noted that, in principle, any
refugees in Vietnam would have entered the country illegally
and would have to be &sent back.8 He then said that
discussing the transfer of refugees was purely hypothetical
since it remains unclear whether or not any North Korean
refugees are currently in Vietnam. Minh asked if we had
raised this with other governments in the region, to which
Special Envoy Lefkowitz responded that we had. Senior Advisor
Whiton provided background information on the North Korean
diaspora and the treatment of North Korean refugees by the
Chinese government.


5. (C) After noting that Vietnam had allowed several hundred
North Koreans to resettle to Seoul in 2004, Special Envoy
Lefkowitz said that we had started to bring small numbers of
North Korean refugees to the U.S. He said that when North
Korean refugees in Vietnam appeal to the U.S. for help, we
would like to be able to help them reach safety, and would
appreciate the cooperation of the Vietnamese government in
this. He noted that any actions we undertake would be
discreet.


6. (C) Perm Rep Minh noted that Vietnam has good relations
with the U.S., adding that he looked forward to President
Bush,s upcoming November visit, and that he would convey our
interest in the issue to his capital.

YY

SHANGHAI
VIENTIANE
PHNOM PENH
TOKYO
MOSCOW

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