TOUR D'HORIZON WITH MFA VICE MINISTER

UNCLAS HANOI 001360 E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL ETRD TRGY VM SUBJECT: TOUR D'HORIZON WITH MFA VICE MINISTER Ref: a) Hanoi 1344 b) Hanoi 1341 c) Hanoi 1352 d) Hanoi 1048 SENSITIVE. NOT FOR DISSEMENATION OUTSIDE THE USG. ¶1. (SBU) Summary: In what we hope will be a regular monthly exchange, the Ambassador raised UNSC Security Council Resolutions on Somalia (septel),Vietnamese membership in the Trans Pacific Partnership, human rights, adoption, the Megaports Initiative and our proposed MOU on civilian nuclear power with Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh. Minh made another pitch for GSP for Vietnam and urged the U.S. to respond "as soon as possible" to recent Vietnamese overtures on the NEC and HCMC Consular District. Minh said a decision on where and when the next ASEAN Summit would be held would be made at the 12/18 ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting; Vietnam is hoping it will be in early January or early February in Jakarta. End Summary. Operational Issues -------------- ¶2. (SBU) On December 12, the Ambassador, accompanied by DCM, met with Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh, accompanied by Americas Division Deputy Director General Le Huy Hoang and the America Desk officer. The Ambassador opened the meeting by thanking the Vice Minister for recent progress on the NEC, Ho Chi Minh City consular district limits (Ref A) and visa for Hanoi's new DATT. Minh said he hoped for a U.S. response on the consular district "the sooner the better." President Bush and Prime Minister Dung had talked again about a new Vietnamese Consulate in Houston on the margins of the APEC Leaders Meeting, "so we are under pressure to open this soon." Minh complained somewhat disingenuously that Embassy and Consulate officials' recent meetings with dissidents in Tran Binh province complicated intra-Ministerial discussion of the HCMC Consulate's consular district. The Ambassador responded forcefully that, as usual, the Embassy and Consulate had complied with all GVN requirements and advised provincial authorities of scheduled meetings. ¶3. (SBU) On the NEC, Minh, appearing not to have been well briefed on the DCM's conversation with the Director General of the America's Division on the NEC (Ref B),made another pitch for the USG to permit the GVN to purchase land with freehold title for its Embassy and consulates. The Ambassador reiterated the U.S. commitment to reciprocity. Trade Issues -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Minh tried to suggest a linkage between Vietnam joining the Trans Pacific Partnership and the U.S. granting Vietnam GSP, but the Ambassador quickly responded that TPP membership was in Vietnam's interest and that U.S. law required improvements in Vietnamese labor rights before Vietnam would be eligible for GSP. The Ambassador urged Vietnam to resolve issues on U.S. beef imports before Senator Baucus arrives in Vietnam December 15. Minh did not appear to be well briefed on the issue made no promises. Conoco Philips -------------- ¶5. (SBU) In response to MFA questions, the Ambassador clarified that Conoco Philips had not yet made a decision about divesting from its joint venture with BP and PetroVietnam. He noted, however, concerns shared by many U.S. investors in the energy sector about wildly fluctuating tax and tariff rates and problems with contract sanctity which had a negative effect on the investment climate in the sector. Human Rights -------------- ¶6. (SBU) The Ambassador noted with concern that in the last three months at least 12 political dissidents, many affiliated with Bloc 8406, have been arrested. Minh responded perfunctorily, "they have violated Vietnamese law." The Ambassador also noted troubling developments in the area of press freedom: the conviction of two award-winning journalists who reported on the PMU-18 corruption scandal; the sacking of many editors, even at the Communist Party-managed newspaper of the Vietnam Fatherland Front; the conviction of blogger Dieu Cay on what appear to be politically motivated tax evasion charges; and a draft press law that would restrict electronic media, including bloggers. Nuclear Cooperation MOU -------------- ¶7. (SBU) Noting that the Ministry of Science and Technology had only received comments from two of the seven ministries from which it requested input prior to Vice Prime Minister Hai's trip to Washington last month (Ref C),the Ambassador asked Minh's help to expedite Vietnamese approval of our proposed MOU on Civilian Nuclear Cooperation as a precursor to a Section 123 Agreement. Though he had previously noted likely MFA support for the MOU during an August discussion with the State Department Special Envoy for Nuclear Cooperation Ambassador Jackie Wolcott (Ref D),Minh did not appear to be well briefed on the issue, but again promised MFA support. Security Issues -------------- ¶8. (SBU) The Ambassador told Minh the USG looks forward to working with the newly-established Vietnam Bomb and Mine Action Center (VBMAC). He noted that although the US was interested in providing further assistance on this war legacy issue, Vietnam's failure to develop and share a national demining plan limited our ability to do so. "Developing national plans is the easiest thing to do in Vietnam," Minh joked, promising to work toward closer cooperation. The Ambassador also thanked Minh for the warm reception the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam offered the Asia Pacific Center for Security Studies and noted their plans to jointly host a workshop on international peacekeeping in Spring 09. After the Ambassador commented on the success of the U.S. Department of Energy's Megaports delegation's visit to Vietnam, Minh said Vietnam Customs had provided the MFA our draft Megaports MOU for review. The Ambassador expressed U.S. interest in increasing bilateral commercial cooperation in the area of defense and security and noted that an American firm was among the finalists for the Ministry of Defense's satellite communications project. Adoptions -------------- ¶9. (SBU) The Ambassador asked for the MFA to arrange the briefing on Vietnams plans to join the Hague Convention on Adoptions requested by the 11 Ambassadors in Hanoi with interest in international adoptions in Vietnam. He offered U.S. assistance as Vietnam works to accede to the Convention and stressed our willingness to begin discussions on a bilateral adoption agreement if Vietnam is interested. MICHALAK SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED DECL: N/A SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED