THE DEPUTY SECRETARY'S MEETING WITH VIETNAMESE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MANILA 002590 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR D, AND EAP E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/08/2027 TAGS: ASEAN ETRD PREL EXBS VN SUBJECT: THE DEPUTY SECRETARY'S MEETING WITH VIETNAMESE FIRST DEPUTY FM PHUNG Classified By: Deputy Secretary John Negroponte, reasons 1.4 c, d ¶1. (C) Summary: Vietnamese First Deputy FM Le Cong Phung expressed a desire to continue improving the U.S.-Vietnam bilateral relationship during an August 1 meeting with Deputy Secretary Negroponte on the margins of the ASEAN Regional SIPDIS Forum (ARF) in Manila. Phung requested a meeting with President Bush on behalf of Vietnam's Prime Minister during the September UNGA meeting, looked forward to additional training for Vietnamese military officers, and hoped for U.S. support for its UNSC membership in 2008. The Deputy Secretary pressed the Foreign Ministry to help move forward SIPDIS the purchase of land for a new U.S. Embassy in Hanoi, an important symbol of improved relations. End Summary. LAND ACQUISITION FOR NEW U.S. EMBASSY -------------- ¶2. (C) Deputy Secretary Negroponte requested help from the Foreign Ministry with current negotiations over the acquisition of land for a new Embassy chancery in Hanoi. This would be a tangible example of improved relations between the two countries. The Deputy Minister agreed to do what he can with Hanoi city officials but noted the difficulty of finding a large peice of land in central Hanoi for this project. Land is scare in the middle of the city; Phung suggested it would be better to use land somewhat outside the populous center. The Deputy Secretary remarked that money for a new building might be delayed for some time if negotiations did not resume and quickly result in an agreement. Phung agreed to try to assist. MEETING WITH PRESIDENT BUSH SOUGHT -------------- ¶3. (C) Phung requested a meeting for Vietnamese Prime Minister Dung with President Bush on the margins of upcoming UN General Assembly meetings in September. The Deputy Secretary commented that the President normally attends UNGA SIPDIS for only a day or two, and that his schedule is usually very limited during such a visit. The Deputy Secretary agreed, however, to convey the request in Washington. MILITARY COOPERATION -------------- ¶4. (C) The Minister expressed his gratitude for the recent visit of the military hospital ship the USS Peleliu to Danang. He also said that the expressed willingness of the U.S. to receive Vietnamese military officers for training should now be put into action. UN SECURITY COUNCIL SEAT FOR VIETNAM -------------- ¶5. (C) The Deputy Secretary congratulated Vietnam on its likely selection for a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council starting in 2008. Phung agreed that the selection seemed on track, but only with the continued assistance of the U.S. during the actual voting. NEW U.S. AMBASSADOR TO VIETNAM -------------- ¶6. (C) Phung was pleased to learn that the new U.S. Ambassador, Michael Michalak, whom he knows through their work together on last year's APEC meetings in Hanoi, would arrive shortly in Hanoi. ¶13. (U) July 31,2007; 1615; Manila, Philippines. ¶14. (U) Meeting Participants: U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte Kaye Lee, Special Assistant to the Deputy Secretary of State Ted Wittenstein, Assistant to the Deputy Secretary of State Colleen Kelly, EAP/RSP William Syll, notetaker Mireille Zieseniss, notetaker Vietnam MANILA 00002590 002 OF 002 First Deputy Foreign Minister Le Cong Phung Pham Quang Vinh, Deputy Director General, Asia II Nguyen Xuan Thuy, Deputy Director General, ASEAN Department Tran Duc Hung, Deputy Director General, Minister's Office Le Minh Thang, Deputy Chief of Protocol KENNEY