Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09HANOI479
2009-05-22 08:38:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Hanoi
Cable title:  

VIETNAM "OPEN" TO PROPOSAL ON EXPORT LICENSING

Tags:  ECON EFIN ETRD VM 
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VZCZCXRO0703
PP RUEHCHI RUEHFK RUEHHM RUEHKSO RUEHNAG RUEHPB
DE RUEHHI #0479 1420838
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 220838Z MAY 09
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9665
INFO RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH 5871
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1263
RUEHZU/ASIAN PACIFIC ECONOMIC COOPERATION
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS HANOI 000479 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/MLS MBROWN AND EEB/TPP/MTAA APRATTIPATI
USTR FOR EBRZYTWA AND DBISBEE
COMMERCE FOR DPAREKH

E.O. 12958: N/A

TAGS: ECON EFIN ETRD VM
SUBJECT: VIETNAM "OPEN" TO PROPOSAL ON EXPORT LICENSING
TRANSPARENCY

REF: STATE 50680 ("Increasing Transparency in Export Licensing")

UNCLAS HANOI 000479

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/MLS MBROWN AND EEB/TPP/MTAA APRATTIPATI
USTR FOR EBRZYTWA AND DBISBEE
COMMERCE FOR DPAREKH

E.O. 12958: N/A

TAGS: ECON EFIN ETRD VM
SUBJECT: VIETNAM "OPEN" TO PROPOSAL ON EXPORT LICENSING
TRANSPARENCY

REF: STATE 50680 ("Increasing Transparency in Export Licensing")


1. (U) SUMMARY. Post delivered joint demarche with representatives
from Japan and Chinese Taipei on May 22, 2009, drawing on Reftel
points. Vietnam, through an official from the Multilateral Trade
Policy Department of the Trade and Industry Ministry, responded that
it was "open" to the proposal but concerned about slowing down the
Doha discussions. END SUMMARY.


2. (U) On May 22, Mission Vietnam Econoff joined economic officers
from the Japanese Embassy and the Taipei Economic and Cultural
Office in a meeting with Luong Hoang Thai, Deputy Director General
of the Multilateral Trade Policy Department of Vietnam's Trade and
Industry Ministry. Thai was well-versed in the export licensing
proposal which, he said, was currently under review at Vietnamese
interagency process.


3. (U) Thai acknowledged that the proposal would probably involve
little additional burdens or cost, and said that Vietnam was
supportive of setting higher standards at the WTO and, particularly,
on increased transparency. He added that Vietnam is "open" to the
proposal but was not ready to make a decision. e added H He added
rtgarHowever, he cautioned that Vietnam would be unlikely to support
the proposal if it entailed prolonging the revival of Doha
Development discussions. "We have to choose priorities," he said,
making it clear that revising the DDA ranked above all others. He
also said that there would likely be some groans from within the
Vietnamese government over taking on more requirements, even if
procedural.


4. (U) The Vietnamese official asked whether the proposal would be
the first step to more stringent requirements on export licensing,
or whether it was related to previous proposals on export taxes.
Econoff and his Japanese and Taiwanese counterparts replied in the
negative, explaining that the current proposal on notification was
the only one under discussion. Thai also asked which other
countries supported the proposal and noted that a high level of
support would be useful in persuading decision makers in Vietnam.
He asked for that information and any additional materials that
would help promote the proposal.

MICHALAK