Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08HANOI1016
2008-09-04 09:52:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Hanoi
Cable title:
NORWEIGAN-FLAGGED VESSEL SPOTTED NEAR DISPUTED
how-toVZCZCXRO5079 PP RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHGH RUEHHM RUEHNH RUEHVC DE RUEHHI #1016 2480952 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 040952Z SEP 08 FM AMEMBASSY HANOI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8398 INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH PRIORITY 5080 RHMFISS/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L HANOI 001016
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EEB; EAP/MLS AND DAS MARCIEL; USDOE FOR
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/04/2018
TAGS: ECON EPET PBTS PREL VM
SUBJECT: NORWEIGAN-FLAGGED VESSEL SPOTTED NEAR DISPUTED
BLOCK 5-2 IN SOUTH CHINA SEA
REF: (A) HANOI 1401: "GVN REQUESTS ACTION TO STOP
U.S. COMPANY FROM DRILLING" (B) HANOI 0579:
"BP AND CONOCOPHILLIPS TRANSFER
OPERATORSHIP" (C) HANOI 1119:
"CONOCOPHILLIPS AND BP CONCERNED ABOUT
PROJECTS"
Classified By: DCM VIRGINIA PALMER FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)
C O N F I D E N T I A L HANOI 001016
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EEB; EAP/MLS AND DAS MARCIEL; USDOE FOR
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/04/2018
TAGS: ECON EPET PBTS PREL VM
SUBJECT: NORWEIGAN-FLAGGED VESSEL SPOTTED NEAR DISPUTED
BLOCK 5-2 IN SOUTH CHINA SEA
REF: (A) HANOI 1401: "GVN REQUESTS ACTION TO STOP
U.S. COMPANY FROM DRILLING" (B) HANOI 0579:
"BP AND CONOCOPHILLIPS TRANSFER
OPERATORSHIP" (C) HANOI 1119:
"CONOCOPHILLIPS AND BP CONCERNED ABOUT
PROJECTS"
Classified By: DCM VIRGINIA PALMER FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)
1. (C) The Australian military has informed U.S. PACOM of the
presence of a Norwegian-flagged 3D/4D seismic survey vessel,
the GEO ATLANTIC, in the vicinity of disputed South China Sea
Block 5-2, offshore Vietnam. According to the Australian
military, the GEO ATLANTIC belongs to Fugro GeoServices, a
Houston-based subsidiary of Fugro World Wide, headquartered
in the Netherlands. Block 5-2, a joint concession with BP,
ConocoPhillips (CoP),and PetroVietnam, lies in disputed
waters claimed by China. In June 2007, China warned BP to
cease work in Blocks 5-2 and 5-3 or face "economic
consequences" (REF A). With the Olympics at an end, Embassy
contacts fear that China could be more likely to react to
activity in the block.
2. (C) In May 2008, BP transferred operatorship of Block 5-2
to PetroVietnam to avoid further delays in the work program
(REF B). The change in operatorship is effective for the
2008 work program only; BP and CP retain operatorship for the
2009 work program and beyond. According to a CoP executive,
BP and CoP face contractual deadlines -- 2008 in Block 5.2
and 2010 in Block 5-3 -- in which to conclude "significant
seismic activity" (REF C). BP has not informed China about
the change in operatorship or the exploration work and it is
unclear if China is aware that PetroVietnam's contractor is
working in the parcel.
3. (C) In July 2007, Vietnamese Vice Foreign Minister Vu Dung
met with his Chinese counterpart Wu Dawei in Beijing, where
Vietnam and China signed a secret written agreement rejecting
the use of force to settle territorial disputes in the South
China Sea.
4. (U) Post will report further information if it becomes
available.
MICHALAK
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EEB; EAP/MLS AND DAS MARCIEL; USDOE FOR
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/04/2018
TAGS: ECON EPET PBTS PREL VM
SUBJECT: NORWEIGAN-FLAGGED VESSEL SPOTTED NEAR DISPUTED
BLOCK 5-2 IN SOUTH CHINA SEA
REF: (A) HANOI 1401: "GVN REQUESTS ACTION TO STOP
U.S. COMPANY FROM DRILLING" (B) HANOI 0579:
"BP AND CONOCOPHILLIPS TRANSFER
OPERATORSHIP" (C) HANOI 1119:
"CONOCOPHILLIPS AND BP CONCERNED ABOUT
PROJECTS"
Classified By: DCM VIRGINIA PALMER FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)
1. (C) The Australian military has informed U.S. PACOM of the
presence of a Norwegian-flagged 3D/4D seismic survey vessel,
the GEO ATLANTIC, in the vicinity of disputed South China Sea
Block 5-2, offshore Vietnam. According to the Australian
military, the GEO ATLANTIC belongs to Fugro GeoServices, a
Houston-based subsidiary of Fugro World Wide, headquartered
in the Netherlands. Block 5-2, a joint concession with BP,
ConocoPhillips (CoP),and PetroVietnam, lies in disputed
waters claimed by China. In June 2007, China warned BP to
cease work in Blocks 5-2 and 5-3 or face "economic
consequences" (REF A). With the Olympics at an end, Embassy
contacts fear that China could be more likely to react to
activity in the block.
2. (C) In May 2008, BP transferred operatorship of Block 5-2
to PetroVietnam to avoid further delays in the work program
(REF B). The change in operatorship is effective for the
2008 work program only; BP and CP retain operatorship for the
2009 work program and beyond. According to a CoP executive,
BP and CoP face contractual deadlines -- 2008 in Block 5.2
and 2010 in Block 5-3 -- in which to conclude "significant
seismic activity" (REF C). BP has not informed China about
the change in operatorship or the exploration work and it is
unclear if China is aware that PetroVietnam's contractor is
working in the parcel.
3. (C) In July 2007, Vietnamese Vice Foreign Minister Vu Dung
met with his Chinese counterpart Wu Dawei in Beijing, where
Vietnam and China signed a secret written agreement rejecting
the use of force to settle territorial disputes in the South
China Sea.
4. (U) Post will report further information if it becomes
available.
MICHALAK