Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07HANOI83
2007-01-12 10:00:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Hanoi
Cable title:  

MFA OFFICIALS DISCUSS RANGE OF CURRENT BILATERAL TOPICS

Tags:  PGOV PHUM PREL AMGT ABLD ECON ETRD VM 
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VZCZCXRO6517
RR RUEHHM
DE RUEHHI #0083/01 0121000
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 121000Z JAN 07
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4331
INFO RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH 2384
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 000083 

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STATE FOR EAP/MLS

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED
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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL AMGT ABLD ECON ETRD VM
SUBJECT: MFA OFFICIALS DISCUSS RANGE OF CURRENT BILATERAL TOPICS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 000083

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STATE FOR EAP/MLS

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED
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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL AMGT ABLD ECON ETRD VM
SUBJECT: MFA OFFICIALS DISCUSS RANGE OF CURRENT BILATERAL TOPICS


1. (SBU) Summary: During a January 9 meeting with the DCM, Ministry
of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Americas Department Director General Pham
Van Que said that Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Pham Gia
Khiem has not yet decided on dates for travel to the United States.
Que proposed several potential issues focused on "upgrading the
relationship" for discussion during the DPM's visit and President
Triet's visit later this year, including improved Ex-Im Bank loan
terms, urging a more active OPIC role, re-examining export controls
to Vietnam and broadening U.S. policy on arms transfers to include
lethal defense articles and services. Que noted that the upcoming
Communist Party Plenum will focus on redefining the Party's role in
the context of Vietnam's rapidly-changing circumstances. Addressing
New Embassy Compound negotiations, Que expressed his desire to
conclude an agreement on property purchases in Washington and Hanoi
in the "near future."


2. (SBU) Summary continued: Referring to a recent exchange of notes
between ConGen HCMC and a southern province on the question of
meeting private Vietnamese citizens, the DCM sought MFA assistance
in enabling continued unfettered access by U.S. officials. Que
acknowledged DPM Khiem's promise to Secretary Rice that the GVN will
release dissident Nguyen Vu Binh and requested a formal proposal
noting U.S. Government willingness to enable Phan Van Ban to travel
to the United States if he is released. On the issue of dioxin, the
DCM shared that the United States will soon announce its
contribution to help clean up the Danang airport. End Summary.


3. (SBU) On January 9, the DCM hosted a luncheon with MFA Americas
Department Director General Pham Van Que, Deputy Director Nguyen
Hoanh Nam and Desk Officer Le Chi Dzung. MGT/C and EconOff also
attended. Both sides positively evaluated progress made on a broad
range of bilateral issues in 2006 and expressed a commitment to

continue the momentum in 2007. Specifically noting the nuclear fuel
replacement at the Dalat Nuclear reactor and the Peace Corps
agreement, the DCM expressed his hope that these and other issues
will move forward in the new year.

Deputy Prime Minister Khiem's Visit to Washington
-------------- --------------


4. (SBU) Despite having pressed him that morning, Deputy Prime
Minister Pham Gia Khiem has not yet decided on specific dates for
his travel to Washington, Que reported. The DCM relayed that the
end of February may not fit with Secretary Rice's schedule, and
urged the GVN to propose dates soonest so that the State Department
can respond. Que said that the current plan is for DPM Khiem to
spend one week in the United States. In addition to Washington,
Khiem will likely travel to Boston, Chicago and possibly Seattle or
Los Angeles, although Que acknowledged the potential sensitivities
of a trip to Southern California.


5. (SBU) Que proposed several potential issues for the DPM's visit,
and President Nguyen Minh Triet's visit to Washington later this
year. Overall, these issues focus on "upgrading the relationship."
Specific actions (on the U.S. side) might include: (1) improving the
terms and rates for Ex-Im Bank loans offered to private Vietnamese
firms; (2) urging a more active OPIC role to bring additional
foreign direct investment to Vietnam; (3) re-examining the current
status of controls of goods exported to Vietnam; (4) authorizing the
sale of lethal military goods to Vietnam. With these goals in mind,
MFA will suggest that DPM Khiem visit with OPIC, EX-IM Bank, USAID
and the Trade and Development Agency during his upcoming visit. DG
Que also noted the DPM's interest in science and technology issues.
The DCM responded that once a date has been set, the two sides
should meet to discuss the DPM's interests and work to develop an
appropriate agenda.

Continued Administrative Reforms
--------------


6. (SBU) In response to the DCM's urging that Vietnam continue to
upgrade legislation, strengthen the rule of law and implement its
World Trade Organization (WTO) and other international commitments,
Que noted that the WTO is only one of the factors driving
administrative reforms in the National Assembly, the Government, the
court system and the Party. He revealed that a focus of the
upcoming Communist Party Plenum, expected to occur in January, will
be "interpreting and defining the role of the Party in the context
of Vietnam's changing circumstances as it increasingly integrates
into the global community and continues its rapid economic
development."


7. (SBU) Continued progress in rule of law and transparency would be
necessary for Vietnam if it is serious about candidacy as a
Millennium Challenge Corporation Threshold Country, the DCM noted.
The delegation from the Office of Government which recently visited
Washington expressed an interest in qualifying for MCC funds. Que
admitted he knows little about the MCC criteria and requested
further information.


HANOI 00000083 002 OF 002


New Embassy Compound
--------------


8. (SBU) DG Que expressed his desire to conclude an agreement on
property purchases in Washington and Hanoi in the "near future."
The GVN request to develop a new mechanism to govern this and future
acquisitions may necessitate additional legal reviews in Washington,
MGT/C noted. Stopping short of full agreement, Que committed to
discuss at a later opportunity the possibility of moving forward
with dual tracks - proceeding with negotiations over both sides'
Embassy facilities in the immediate future while working in parallel
to finalize details on a more comprehensive mechanism. MGT/C said
the U.S. side has repeatedly proposed a lump sum price of slightly
more than USD seven million for the land in Ciputra, and expressed
his hope that if the GVN found this offer unacceptable, the MFA
would respond with a counter-offer to move negotiations forward. DG
Que suggested that the Embassy formally convey this offer to the
Ministry by diplomatic note. He added, however, that Vietnam had
repeatedly rejected the USD seven million proposal in the past and
asked that the USG be more reasonable with respect to a final price
tag for the Ciputra property.


9. (SBU) MFA is also ready to proceed with negotiations over the
sale of the U.S. property on Hai Ba Trung Street, according to Que.
Que said that he believes Vietnamese regulations dictate that the
GVN or the Hanoi People's Committee are the only two organizations
which have the right to purchase this land, but he also believes an
agreement can be reached based on a "fair market price." He
suggested that the sale of this property would be less complicated
if it occurred independent of negotiations over the New Embassy
Compound (NEC). The Embassy will send a note of intent to sell the
property and seek the GVN's concurrence in the near future, the DCM
said.

Human Rights and Religious Freedom Issues
--------------


10. (SBU) The Embassy's ability to credibly report on human rights
and religious freedom issues and address concerns of the Congress is
based on the access enjoyed by our officials to private Vietnamese
citizens, the DCM continued. Referring to a recent diplomatic note
from a provincial External Relations Office (ERO) requesting that
ERO officials be present in all meetings, he stated that U.S.
officials will continue to seek unfettered access. Desk officer
Dzung was aware of the note and pushed back, stating that U.S.
officials should understand the need for an ERO presence in
meetings. The DCM reported that this would degrade the USG's
ability to creditably report on conditions in Vietnam. The two
sides debated the issue at some length, and there was no meeting of
the minds, but the DCM stated that U.S. officials would continue to
do their job professionally and well.


11. (SBU) The DCM noted that the MFA has not yet responded to the
Ambassador's December 4 letter to Le Van Bang regarding dissidents
Nguyen Vu Binh and Phan Van Ban. The DCM noted U.S. Government
willingness to facilitate the departure to the United States of Phan
Van Ban, if he is released. We continue to await the release of
Nguyen Vu Binh before the Tet holiday, as DPM Khiem promised to
Secretary Rice during the APEC Leaders Meeting. DG Que acknowledged

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the understanding between the Secretary and the DPM. On Ban, he
requested a formal written proposal so that the GVN can proceed with
consideration of this idea. (Note: The Ambassador wrote to VFM Le
Van Bang on January 12 seeking the release of Binh as promised and
raising the issue of Ban's travel to the United States, if he is
released. End Note.) Separately, the DCM told Que that the
Ambassador had just sent a letter to MFA stating our understanding
that Pastor Paul Tran Dinh Ai hopes to travel to Vietnam later this
month to visit his elderly mother and celebrate the Tet holiday with
her.

Agent Orange
--------------


12. (SBU) The DCM shared that the United States will soon announce
its contribution of USD 400,000 to help clean up dioxin at the Da
Nang airport. This project, implemented by the EPA, is in
partnership with the Ford Foundation and the United Nations
Development Program. A U.S. scientist will also travel to Vietnam
to work for a short time in the Ministry of Science and Technology's
Office 33. More broadly, views among Vietnamese surrounding the
issue of Agent Orange are slowly changing. We welcome a more
reasoned discussion of the issues.

MARINE