(U) DEPUTY SECRETARY NEGROPONTE'S SEPTEMBER 11,

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 001045 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/MLS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OVIP NEGROPONTE JOHN MARR MASS PREL CH VM SUBJECT: (U) DEPUTY SECRETARY NEGROPONTE'S SEPTEMBER 11, 2008 CONVERSATION WITH VIETNAMESE VICE DEFENSE MINISTER NGUYEN HUY HIEU SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. FOR INTERNAL USG USE. NOT SUITABLE FOR INTERNET POSTING. ¶1. (U) September 11, 2008; 16:30; Hanoi, Vietnam. ¶2. (U) Participants: U.S. The Deputy Secretary Ambassador Michael Michalak DAS Scot Marciel PolCouns Brian Aggeler D Special Assistant Kaye Lee D Special Assistant Ted Wittenstein Marine and Naval Attache Major Tim Riesner Poloff James O'Connor (notetaker) VIETNAM Vice Minister Nguyen Van Hieu MFA Americas Dept. Director General Ba Hung MND External Relations Deputy Dir. Pham Thai Minh MND Foreign Liaison Chief Sr. Col Le Ho Can MND Afr. and Americas Desk Dir. Nguyen Quan Vinh MFA Americas Dept. Deputy Director Le Chi Dung ¶3. (SBU) SUMMARY. On September 11, the Deputy Secretary and Vietnamese Vice Minister of National Defense Nguyen Van Hieu agreed that U.S.-Vietnam ties have grown across the board, with high-level exchanges over the last three years helping to strengthen the relationship. VM Hieu reiterated Hanoi's desire to solve the issue of competing claims in the South China peacefully through use of the Law of the Sea. The two leaders affirmed that U.S. oil companies should be able to carry out business activities in the area. The Deputy Secretary expressed U.S. desire to step up security talks in light of the general positive trends in the relationship; however, Hieu said Hanoi will continue to accommodate only one U.S. ship visit per year. The Vice Minister stated that the GVN has shared all relevant information concerning Americans missing from the war. END SUMMARY. -------------- MIL-TO-MIL TIES GROW STEP-BY-STEP -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Pointing to the many changes Vietnam has undergone since his last trip to the country in 1973, the Deputy Secretary expressed satisfaction that the USG enjoys positive and strong relations with Hanoi. The two sides now cooperate in many areas, especially in non-military fields. The Deputy Secretary and VM Hieu agreed that the military-to-military relationship is growing step-by-step. ¶5. (SBU) More military exchanges have taken place and U.S. ships have paid visits to Vietnamese ports, although the U.S. is limited to one port call per year, the Deputy Secretary said. The Vice Minister pointed out that Hanoi is diversifying its defense relations and that many countries would like to send ships to Vietnam. For this reason, Hanoi would continue to accommodate only one U.S. ship visit per year. The Deputy Secretary and Vice Minister Hieu agreed that the U.S. military student studying Vietnamese in Hanoi and the two Vietnamese military officers studying English in the United States are a manifestation of improving mil-to-mil ties. -------------- SOUTH CHINA SEA -------------- ¶6. (SBU) VM Hieu emphasized that the South China Sea issue is rooted in history. Many countries have claims in the South China Sea and China's claim covers a large area, he added. He expressed Hanoi's desire to settle the issue peacefully and in accord with the Law of the Sea. The Deputy Secretary agreed that the issue should be resolved peacefully and that U.S. oil companies should not be impeded from doing business in the area. Hanoi is committed to protecting its sovereignty and interests in the South China Sea and wants to see U.S. oil companies working there, Vice Minister Hieu said. -------------- UPCOMING POL-MIL TALKS -------------- ¶7. (SBU) The Deputy Secretary emphasized that the USG is open to security discussions in the context of the overall improvement in relations. VM Hieu responded that October's HANOI 00001045 002 OF 002 political-military talks represent another step forward in the growing U.S.-Vietnam relationship. He said the MND will send several representatives to the talks, which the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will lead. -------------- - LEGACY ISSUES AND HANOI'S PROCUREMENT REQUESTS -------------- - ¶8. (SBU) The two sides continue to make progress on war legacy issues, with the Deputy Secretary referring to the ongoing Joint Advisory Committee meetings on dioxin as evidence of U.S. commitment. VM Hieu said his colleagues at the MND have thoroughly searched all archives and provided all relevant information to the USG on missing Americans and promised to relay any relevant information that the MND finds in these archives; however, he did not address the Deputy Secretary's request for additional USG access to these archives. The Vice Minister thanked the USG for a CD-Rom with information on unaccounted-for Vietnamese and appealed for more help in tracking down the roughly 300,000 Vietnamese still missing. VM Hieu reiterated GVN requests for spare parts for UH-1 helicopters and amphibious vehicles. He also asked for the United States to supply Vietnam with communication and radar equipment. -------------- DATT'S VISA -------------- ¶9. (SBU) To the Deputy Secretary's appeal for the early accreditation of the US Embassy's new Defense Attache, Vice Minister Hieu responded that the MND has directed the relevant agencies to step up processing of the request. MICHALAK