HIGH-LEVEL GVN TURNOUT FOR WTO ACCESSION CELEBRATION AT THE

UNCLAS HANOI 000118

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/MLS
STATE PASS TO USTR DBISBEE

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON ETRD WTRO PREL PGOV VM
SUBJECT: HIGH-LEVEL GVN TURNOUT FOR WTO ACCESSION CELEBRATION AT THE
AMBASSADOR'S RESIDENCE



1. (SBU) In a marked departure from established protocol, two
ministers and two vice ministers, as well as numerous other
officials at the next lower level, attended a U.S.-hosted reception
at the Ambassador's residence to celebrate Vietnam's accession to
the World Trade Organization (WTO). Trade Minister Truong Dinh
Tuyen, Minister of Justice Uong Chu Luu, Vice Minister of Foreign
Affairs (VFM) Le Van Bang and Vice Minister of Planning and
Investment Nguyen Bich Dat, as well as senior officials from ten
Ministries, the Office of the Government and the National Assembly
gathered at the Residence for the event.


2. (SBU) Representing the Government of Vietnam (GVN),Trade
Minister Tuyen offered extemporaneous, sometimes humorous, remarks.
He reflected on his role in U.S.-Vietnam economic relations,
beginning with the lifting of the trade embargo over ten years ago.
He recounted past "struggles" but concluded that the implementation
in late 2001 of the hard-won Bilateral Trade Agreement had proven to
doubters that engagement with the United States was justified. He
looked forward to future accomplishments and welcomed upcoming talks
with USTR and the Department of Commerce on "Next Steps." Minister
Tuyen alluded to current Vietnamese concerns about possible
disruption of textile exports to the United States in saying that
"issues remain," but otherwise kept his remarks positive throughout.
The Minister thanked a long list of USG officials and agencies,
from President Bush to Ambassador Marine, for their cooperation in
helping Vietnam make the Bilateral Trade Agreement a success, move
through the WTO accession process and ultimately secure permanent
normal trade relations (PNTR). He also noted his eager anticipation
of a possible early-February visit of Deputy U.S. Trade
Representative Karan Bhatia.


3. (SBU) The celebratory and relaxed mood among the guests was laced
with a hint of seriousness from the Ministry of Trade (MOT)
attendees. In the words of one official, "the hard work of
implementing our WTO commitments must now begin." A member of MOT's
Multilateral Trade Policy Department noted that the Ministry is
currently reviewing how to delineate responsibilities between his
office and the Vietnamese Mission in Geneva, relaying his
expectation that both would remain "very busy."

MARINE