Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09HANOI446
2009-05-13 10:07:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Hanoi
Cable title:  

VIETNAM "CONSIDERING" JOINING HAGUE CODE OF CONDUCT, BUT

Tags:  PREL MTCRE MNUC KSCA ETTC TSPA VM 
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VZCZCXRO3021
OO RUEHHM
DE RUEHHI #0446 1331007
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 131007Z MAY 09
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9629
INFO RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH PRIORITY 5848
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0300
UNCLAS HANOI 000446 

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

FOR ISN/MTR (PAUL),EAP/MLS (BLACKSHAW)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL MTCRE MNUC KSCA ETTC TSPA VM

SUBJECT: VIETNAM "CONSIDERING" JOINING HAGUE CODE OF CONDUCT, BUT
HAS NO TIMETABLE

REF: STATE 44996

UNCLAS HANOI 000446

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

FOR ISN/MTR (PAUL),EAP/MLS (BLACKSHAW)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL MTCRE MNUC KSCA ETTC TSPA VM

SUBJECT: VIETNAM "CONSIDERING" JOINING HAGUE CODE OF CONDUCT, BUT
HAS NO TIMETABLE

REF: STATE 44996


1. (SBU) On May 13, Deputy PolCouns met with the MFA International
Organization Department's lead official on non-proliferation issues,
Pham Hai Anh, to urge Vietnam to subscribe to the Hague Code of
Conduct Against Missile Proliferation (HCOC). Per reftel, he noted
that 130 countries now subscribed to the HCOC and that another 29
had endorsed the Code at the General Assembly in December 2008;
Vietnam, as a Security Council member with growing regional
influence, stands out by its absence. DPolCouns emphasized that
joining HCOC would entail very little financial burden, since the
instrument does not have a formal secretariat or implementing
organization.


2. (SBU) In response, Anh stressed that Vietnam supports the
"spirit, goals, and purpose" of HCOC, just as it supports
non-proliferation as a general principle. As a practical matter,
however, Vietnam was still considering the "technical" aspects of
HCOC, as well as any additional costs that might be incurred, a
process that entailed interagency review. Anh was not able to
estimate how long this process might take, but said that at a
minimum the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Science
and Technology, and Customs would have to weigh in.

MICHALAK