AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH VICE FOREIGN MINISTER ON POSSIBLE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 HANOI 000484 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/MLS, DRL/AWH E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL VM SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH VICE FOREIGN MINISTER ON POSSIBLE DELIVERABLES FOR PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT HANOI 00000484 001.4 OF 003 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Ambassador Michalak discussed possible deliverables for a visit to the United States by Vietnamese Prime Minister Dung with Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh on April 25. The Ambassador noted that we need to make progress on human rights before the visit. The Ambassador discussed possible deliverables in education, climate change, civilian nuclear power generation and several other areas. Minh was receptive, and said the GVN would like a joint statement which could cover many of these issues. End summary. ¶2. (SBU) Minh noted he had met with Assistant Secretary Hill and NSC's Dennis Wilder the previous week to discuss details of the visit. The GVN had proposed the dates of June 24-25 in Washington, followed by visits to Texas and San Francisco. He said the GVN would like to work together with the USG on a joint statement for the visit. They would also like help in arranging visits with Senate and Congressional leaders including Senators McCain, Obama and Clinton. Minh said he would send a full list of requested congressional meetings. Ambassador: Need for Progress on Human Rights -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Minh asked whether a joint statement would have to address human rights. The Ambassador replied that any joint statement would certainly have to address human rights but that if we can make progress in this area before the visit it will be easier to find language upon which both sides can agree. ¶4. (SBU) The Ambassador noted that the bilateral Human Rights Dialogue scheduled for May 29 is an opportunity to demonstrate some progress. This could include releasing imprisoned activists such as Le Thi Cong Nhan and Nguyen Van Dai; Nhan is eligible for amnesty now and Dai will be eligible in the fall. It could also include responding to long-standing requests by foreign news organizations to open offices in Ho Chi Minh City (Note: Currently they are only allowed to have offices in Hanoi. End note.) ¶5. (SBU) Minh said the GVN wants a signal that the USG does not support anti-GVN activists. The Ambassador responded that he has been very clear in his public statements that the USG does not support specific organizations but does support the rights of individuals to express their opinions freely without being thrown in jail. ¶6. (SBU) The Ambassador said that if Amcit Nguyen Quoc Quan remains imprisoned when the Prime Minister visits, his situation would be sure to attract negative attention. Minh responded that the GVN does not wish to continue holding Quan and wants to get him out of Vietnam, but needs "quiet" from the U.S. side to avoid the impression it is responding to U.S. pressure. He noted that Quan's use of false identity documents was a very serious matter, which the GVN regarded as terrorist activity. The Ambassador noted that it has been two months since we were allowed a consular visit to Quan despite repeated diplomatic notes requesting access, and appealed again for permission for a consular officer to visit Quan. ¶7. (SBU) Minh asked for assistance in ensuring that Vietnamese-Americans opposed to the GVN do not disrupt the visit. The Ambassador responded that we do not control the actions of these individuals but share the GVN's desire to make the visit a success. GVN Seeks U.S. Investment -------------- ¶8. (SBU) On deliverables for the visit, Minh said the GVN would like to see several concrete results on the economic side. The GVN would like to see increased U.S. investment in Vietnam, particularly in the oil and gas sector. This was the primary reason for the PM's visit to Texas, where he will visit the leaders of oil and gas companies as well as high-tech companies and encourage them to invest in Vietnam. ¶9. (SBU) The Ambassador agreed that we could aim for results in this area; at least two investment possibilities could be ready by the visit. One is for GE to open a facility manufacturing wind turbines in Haiphong for export - it has been approved in principle but the license has not yet been granted. Another is an investment by Sabre, whose production of software for airline ticketing ties in thematically with the Prime Minister's desire to begin direct flights between Vietnam and the United States. Possible Deliverables: Education, Climate Change -------------- --- HANOI 00000484 002.4 OF 003 ¶10. (SBU) The Ambassador suggested that deliverables could be grouped into three or four major baskets. Given the Prime Minister's focus on education, we could either sign a letter of intent or simply issue a statement of cooperation which would set up a joint task force to examine the feasibility of U.S. assistance to Vietnam on an American university. Minh noted the GVN's proposal that the GVN provide facilities while the U.S. provides teaching staff, and said Germany and Britain are already well along on establishing universities in Vietnam. The Ambassador noted that we have been in touch with Vietnam's Ministry of Education and Training as well as U.S. universities but that, given the short time before the visit and the number of details involved, a task force would give us time to address them. ¶11. (SBU)On climate change, the Ambassador suggested that we could announce the formation of a working group under our existing S&T agreement to address climate change in Vietnam, as Vietnam likely will be one of the countries most severely impacted by climate change. Minh responded that this would be of great interest to the GVN. The Ambassador said that various U.S. agencies already have provided assistance in this area and that we expect to expand these programs, while bringing in new U.S. participants. ¶12. (SBU) The Ambassador said that, either as a subset of climate change or as a separate package, we could also agree to work with the GVN on signing agreements and providing a program of technical assistance to help Vietnam develop the safety and security infrastructure necessary for a a civilian nuclear power program. We could announce expanded technical cooperation on DOE/NNSA agreements with the Vietnam Atomic Energy Commission and the Vietnam Agency for Radiation and Nuclear Safety & Control (VARANSAC),agreement between DOE/NNSA and Vietnam's Ministry of Science and Technology on next steps towards full conversion of the nuclear research reactor at Dalat and for the removal of spent Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU) from Dalat to the Russian Federation. ¶13. (SBU) We believe that we can schedule the signing of an MOU for technical cooperation between the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and VARANSAC. We could also announce plans to negotiate/sign a Section 123 [of 1954 Atomic Energy Act] Agreement for Cooperation, which would allow commercial technology transfers for the development of a civilian nuclear power sector or, if deemed untimely, beginnegotiations for a broader nuclear cooperation MOU until the time we can sign the Section 123 Agreement. Another deliverable in this area would be a USTDA-funded Orientation Visit for Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) and GVN officials to the United States to learn about nuclear power. Economic/Commercial Deliverables -------------- ¶14. (SBU) On the economic side, the Ambassador noted we cannot yet say the GVN qualifies as a market economy but a deliverable could be in the form of an announcement of a bilateral working group to study the roadmap toward market economy designation, perhaps under the auspices of the TIFA. The team the GVN will be sending to the U.S. in May to discuss the Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT ) will help determine whether we will be ready to announce the beginning of BIT negotiations in time for the visit. ¶15. (SBU) On GSP, the Ambassador noted thorny issues like labor and IPR, but added that these are areas where we would like to move forward and work together. This could be pursued through technical assistance and our next Labor Dialogue this fall. ¶16. (SBU) Infrastructure assistance is another possibility, the Ambassador said. USTDA is working with Vinalines to fund a port logistics study to determine current container movement and forecast trade growth in Vietnam, particularly in the South. The study would be used to determine the impact of this growth on current logistics systems in Vietnam and identify areas of future need. ¶17. (SBU) The Ambassador noted that during his recent visit to Vietnam HHS Secretary Leavitt agreed with the MOH to draft and sign an MOU on Product Safety by the time of the PM's visit; part of that MOU or under that MOU could be a separate set of deliverables on food safety. ¶18. (SBU) On trade, the Ambassador noted that we are pushing hard for approval for Vietnam to export several types of fruit to the U.S. In return, we would like GVN assistance on increased access to the Vietnamese market for U.S. beef. Consulate Question, Adoptions, Security, Peace Corps -------------- -------------- HANOI 00000484 003.4 OF 003 ¶19. (SBU) The Ambassador said we are very supportive of the GVN's opening a consulate in Houston, and we hope to see this done in connection with resolving the Ho Chi Minh consular district issue. Minh said it would be good for the Prime Minister to see the opening of the new Houston consulate. The Ambassador responded that if the Ho Chi Minh consular district issue is resolved that could indeed be possible. Minh said we could work on this issue. ¶20. (SBU) On adoptions, we hope Vietnam will announce its intention to join the Hague Convention before our current agreement expires on September 1 - this could help address the widespread abuses in the current adoption system in Vietnam. Minh responded that this was an issue for the Ministry of Justice, but Vietnam certainly does not want to see misuse of the adoption process. ¶21. (SBU) On the security side, the Ambassador said Vietnam's joining PSI was one possibility. Vietnamese engagement in the Global Peacekeeping Operations Initiative (GPOI) is another possibility. Minh said he had requested a list of training courses, and said once it is received he would work with the Ministry of Defense to see where the GVN could participate. ¶22. (SBU) Progress towards an agreement on Peace Corps would depend on the GVN engaging the Peace Corps directly, the Ambassador said. Minh said the GVN would work on this. ¶23. (SBU) The Ambassador said we look forward to working with MFA as well as the relevant ministries on these deliverables. Minh thanked the Ambassador for sharing these ideas and said MFA looked forward to advancing these deliverables for the visit. MICHALAK