VIETNAM SUPPORTS CONTINUED DEBATE ON KOSOVO

UNCLAS HANOI 000178 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/MLS, IO/UNP E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: UNSC PREL YI VM SUBJECT: VIETNAM SUPPORTS CONTINUED DEBATE ON KOSOVO REF: State 16244 ¶1. (SBU) A/DCM delivered reftel demarche on February 17 to Mr. Mai Pham Dung, head of the MFA's Security Council Team. Dung responded that the position of GVN is well-founded on principles of collective resolution of conflicts and respect for territorial integrity and international law, which would apply to Kosovo as well as other similar problems. The GVN recognizes the position of the United States on Kosovo and acknowledges there may be an impasse on the issue, but Vietnam believes continued discussion would be useful. ¶2. (SBU) A/DCM emphasized that Kosovo is a unique case, that Kosovo's supervised independence does not establish a precedent, and that Resolution 1244 does not bar Kosovo's declaration of independence. Where the Security Council is clearly divided, further fruitless debate is not helpful. Dung responded that he understood the USG position, but gave no indication that the GVN would support it. He said he would report our demarche to his superiors. ¶3. (SBU) Comment: Vietnam's response to this demarche is troubling. Dung's remarks suggest that despite the GVN's regular declarations of its willingness to cooperate with us in UNSC, it is not prepared to follow through with concrete actions even on an issue such as Kosovo, where it has minimal interests at stake. In this case it appears Vietnam will indeed continue to pursue the debate, regardless of how unhelpful and unproductive this is. End comment. MICHALAK