EXBS: THAILAND/VIETNAM ADVISOR MONTHLY REPORTING

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BANGKOK 003579 SIPDIS DEPT FOR ISN/ECC YWONG, ACHURCH, ROWEN, EAP/MLS DRICHELSOPH, BBLACKSHAW, AWEST CBP/INA FOR BMCCRAY DEPT OF ENERGY FOR NNSA TPERRY AMEMBASSY HANOI FOR JBOCKLAGE AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR FOR PZARESK AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH FOR MSWEENEY E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ETTC KNNP KSTC MNUC PARM PREL TH VN CB SUBJECT: EXBS: THAILAND/VIETNAM ADVISOR MONTHLY REPORTING CABLE - NOVEMBER 2008 SUMMARY ¶1. (U) Commonwealth Trading Partners (CTP) conducted an Interagency Relations and Infrastructure Workshop in Bangkok, Nov. 3-5. ECC Desk Officer Rachel Owen met with Vietnamese officials, Nov. 3-4. Advisor, Vietnam Program Assistant and Thai and Vietnamese officials attended the Export Control Academy in Athens, GA, Nov. 10-14. Rapiscan x-ray system installation and operator training in Vietnam began November 27 and is scheduled to be complete in early December. A purchase order has been signed for delivery of an electrical generator for the Rapiscan van in Hue. CTP will conduct a National Control List Workshop in Hanoi, Dec. 10-12. Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok was temporarily closed during political demonstrations. Advisor will be in the U.S. for leave and consultations, Dec. 22 - Jan. 10. SITE ASSESSMENTS AND MEETINGS ¶2. (U) ECC Desk Officer Rachel Owen met with Vietnamese officials in Hanoi on November 3-5. (Advisor was involved in training in Bangkok and could not attend - Ms. Owen was accompanied by EXBS Program Assistant.) Meetings were held with the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade, Customs, Radiation and Nuclear Safety Agency, and Ministry of Defense. Topics discussed included updates on Tracker, border security, Rapiscan equipment and national control lists. Detailed discussions reported separately. TRAINING CONDUCTED ¶3. (U) Commonwealth Trading Partners (CTP) conducted an Interagency Relations and Infrastructure Workshop in Bangkok, Nov. 3-5. Thirty-one participants and observers from twelve Thai government and industry organizations attended. At the end of the course, the Thai government's Export Control Working Group held a 2-hour meeting to discuss progress toward a stronger strategic trade management system. Legal, personnel, budgetary and other issues were discussed. Industry representatives also attended, arguing for a user-friendly system, and for the private sector being kept fully informed of any new requirements. Continued technical support via the EXBS program and encouragement at the political level via international organizations such as the UN, ARF and APEC will be necessary to keep this complex process moving forward. ¶4. (U) Advisor and Vietnam EXBS Program Assistant accompanied Thai and Vietnamese officials (three from each country) to the Export Control Academy in Athens, GA, Nov. 10-14. Two Thai officials remained for the second week of the course. This was the first delegation of Vietnamese officials to attend the Academy. Approximately 30 officials from twelve foreign countries attended the training. Participants learned a great deal about international nonproliferation efforts, and benefited from the interaction with their international counterparts. EQUIPMENT DELIVERED ¶5. (U) On-site installation and operator training for the Rapiscan x-ray system in Ho Chi Minh City was conducted on November 27-28. Training for the systems in Hue and Hanoi are scheduled for early December. A purchase order was signed for the procurement, delivery and installation of the electrical generator for the Rapiscan van in Hue. IMMINENT TRAINING/EQUIPMENT UPDATE ¶6. (U) CTP will conduct a National Control List Workshop in Hanoi, Dec. 10-12. The assessment visit for the proposed Vietnam Tracker system network expansion was postponed from December until March for administrative reasons. The meeting of the Council on Security Cooperation in the Asia-Pacific BANGKOK 00003579 002 OF 002 (CSCAP) WMD Study Group, scheduled for Dec. 2-4 in Bangkok, was cancelled due to airport closure from political demonstrations. Advisor will be in the U.S. for annual leave and consultations, Dec. 22 - Jan. 10. SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS ¶7. (U) Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi International Airport was closed by political demonstrators on November 25. The airport has since reopened, and the demonstrators have disbanded (see post reporting). JOHN