Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09HANOI536
2009-06-11 03:49:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Hanoi
Cable title:
VIETNAM'S DEPUTY PM EMBRACES U.S.-VN ECONOMIC AGENDA;
how-toVZCZCXRO5938 RR RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHFK RUEHHM RUEHKSO RUEHNAG RUEHNH RUEHPB DE RUEHHI #0536/01 1620349 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 110349Z JUN 09 FM AMEMBASSY HANOI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9733 INFO RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH 5921 RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE RUEHZU/ASIAN PACIFIC ECONOMIC COOPERATION RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE USD FAS WASHINGTON DC RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 000536
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/MLS BROWN AND PALMER
USTR FOR BISBEE
COMMERCE FOR 4430/MAC/AP/OPB/VLC/HPPHO
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EINV EINT ECON EFIN PGOV PREL VM
SUBJECT: VIETNAM'S DEPUTY PM EMBRACES U.S.-VN ECONOMIC AGENDA;
DISCUSSES AES, CHEVRON, AND GE DEALS
REF: A) Hanoi 439 ("VN Ready for TPP Talks");
B) Hanoi 211 ("Plan To Deregulate Vietnam's Power Sector")
HANOI 00000536 001.2 OF 002
(U) This cable is Sensitive but Unclassified. For official use
only, not for dissemination outside USG channels or posting on the
internet.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 000536
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/MLS BROWN AND PALMER
USTR FOR BISBEE
COMMERCE FOR 4430/MAC/AP/OPB/VLC/HPPHO
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EINV EINT ECON EFIN PGOV PREL VM
SUBJECT: VIETNAM'S DEPUTY PM EMBRACES U.S.-VN ECONOMIC AGENDA;
DISCUSSES AES, CHEVRON, AND GE DEALS
REF: A) Hanoi 439 ("VN Ready for TPP Talks");
B) Hanoi 211 ("Plan To Deregulate Vietnam's Power Sector")
HANOI 00000536 001.2 OF 002
(U) This cable is Sensitive but Unclassified. For official use
only, not for dissemination outside USG channels or posting on the
internet.
1. (SBU) Summary: In a June 2 meeting with the Ambassador, Deputy
Prime Minister (DPM) Hoang Trung Hai encouraged movement on the
U.S.-Vietnam economic agenda, particularly on GSP, TPP, and catfish.
Hai was optimistic about completing pricing agreements for large
AES and Chevron projects in Vietnam. He said the AES deal could be
finalized within as little as ten days, and looked forward to
getting through the current natural gas pricing discussions with
Chevron to move on to further exploration and drilling. The DPM was
neutral when a possible GE deal was raised. End Summary.
AMBASSADOR'S UPCOMING VISIT TO THE U.S.
--------------
2. (SBU) In a June 2 meeting with the Ambassador, Deputy Prime
Minister (DPM) Hoang Trung Hai expressed particular interest in
moving forward with the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP),receiving
Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) status, and finding a
resolution on the catfish issue, each of which, he emphasized, would
help Vietnam's exports (REF A). Hai, who oversees industry, trade,
and investment issues, also encouraged the Ambassador to push the
U.S.-Vietnam economic agenda during his June 4-22 visit to U.S.
CHEVRON, AES, GE PROJECTS
--------------
3. (SBU) When asked about Chevron's five billion-dollar gas-to-power
project, the DPM responded that the project was good for Vietnam and
said he looked forward to other exploration projects after Chevron
resolved the natural gas pricing issue with PetroVietnam.
4. (SBU) When the Ambassador expressed concern the proposed AES
power plant project's being forced by a volatile market to increase
its electricity tariffs when the MOU between AES and EVN
(Electricity of Vietnam) expires on June 15, the DPM said that the
GVN had given AES a counter-offer within the negotiated price range
and will be ready to to ink the deal if AES "simply accepts the
offer." (Note: AES remains non-committal about the Vietnamese
counteroffer. The GVN had pledged to issue the investment license
for this project before the end of Q1 2009. See REF B)
5. (SBU) In response to Ambassador's request for the status
regarding GE's bid to provide turbines for the Nhon Trach 2 power
plant in Dong Nai province, the DPM was neutral, praising the
quality of GE's turbines, but complaining that they may still be too
expensive. (Note: The Ambassador had sent the DPM a letter on May
28, 2009 advocating for GE's bid.)
ECONOMIC CRISIS
--------------
6. (SBU) The DPM also said that the GVN was trying to show the
public and the National Assembly (currently in session in Hanoi)
that although Vietnam was through the worst of the economic crisis,
the economy needed to be managed prudently, especially because
monetary and financial conditions were still volatile. The economy
will not "simply fly again," he stated.
CIVIL NUCLEAR POWER
--------------
7. (SBU) The DPM thanked the Ambassador for U.S. cooperation in
converting the Dalat nuclear research reactor from highly-enriched
uranium (HEU) to low-enriched uranium, and the proposal to remove
HEU spent fuel. He was also pleased to hear that the MOU on
exchanging technical information related to Vietnam's ambitions for
nuclear power generation was going through the clearance process in
the United States. However, the DPM noted that barriers remained
for U.S. businesses to invest directly in civil nuclear power
projects in Vietnam, saying that GE told him they would have to go
through its Japanese partner, Toshiba.
COMMENT
HANOI 00000536 002.2 OF 002
--------------
8. (SBU) Although the GVN continues to support U.S. investment in
the energy sector, several major projects remain pending.
Investment in Vietnam's energy sector is still a long-term
commitment for U.S. companies, as AES's seven-year effort to reach
agreement shows.
PALMER
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/MLS BROWN AND PALMER
USTR FOR BISBEE
COMMERCE FOR 4430/MAC/AP/OPB/VLC/HPPHO
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EINV EINT ECON EFIN PGOV PREL VM
SUBJECT: VIETNAM'S DEPUTY PM EMBRACES U.S.-VN ECONOMIC AGENDA;
DISCUSSES AES, CHEVRON, AND GE DEALS
REF: A) Hanoi 439 ("VN Ready for TPP Talks");
B) Hanoi 211 ("Plan To Deregulate Vietnam's Power Sector")
HANOI 00000536 001.2 OF 002
(U) This cable is Sensitive but Unclassified. For official use
only, not for dissemination outside USG channels or posting on the
internet.
1. (SBU) Summary: In a June 2 meeting with the Ambassador, Deputy
Prime Minister (DPM) Hoang Trung Hai encouraged movement on the
U.S.-Vietnam economic agenda, particularly on GSP, TPP, and catfish.
Hai was optimistic about completing pricing agreements for large
AES and Chevron projects in Vietnam. He said the AES deal could be
finalized within as little as ten days, and looked forward to
getting through the current natural gas pricing discussions with
Chevron to move on to further exploration and drilling. The DPM was
neutral when a possible GE deal was raised. End Summary.
AMBASSADOR'S UPCOMING VISIT TO THE U.S.
--------------
2. (SBU) In a June 2 meeting with the Ambassador, Deputy Prime
Minister (DPM) Hoang Trung Hai expressed particular interest in
moving forward with the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP),receiving
Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) status, and finding a
resolution on the catfish issue, each of which, he emphasized, would
help Vietnam's exports (REF A). Hai, who oversees industry, trade,
and investment issues, also encouraged the Ambassador to push the
U.S.-Vietnam economic agenda during his June 4-22 visit to U.S.
CHEVRON, AES, GE PROJECTS
--------------
3. (SBU) When asked about Chevron's five billion-dollar gas-to-power
project, the DPM responded that the project was good for Vietnam and
said he looked forward to other exploration projects after Chevron
resolved the natural gas pricing issue with PetroVietnam.
4. (SBU) When the Ambassador expressed concern the proposed AES
power plant project's being forced by a volatile market to increase
its electricity tariffs when the MOU between AES and EVN
(Electricity of Vietnam) expires on June 15, the DPM said that the
GVN had given AES a counter-offer within the negotiated price range
and will be ready to to ink the deal if AES "simply accepts the
offer." (Note: AES remains non-committal about the Vietnamese
counteroffer. The GVN had pledged to issue the investment license
for this project before the end of Q1 2009. See REF B)
5. (SBU) In response to Ambassador's request for the status
regarding GE's bid to provide turbines for the Nhon Trach 2 power
plant in Dong Nai province, the DPM was neutral, praising the
quality of GE's turbines, but complaining that they may still be too
expensive. (Note: The Ambassador had sent the DPM a letter on May
28, 2009 advocating for GE's bid.)
ECONOMIC CRISIS
--------------
6. (SBU) The DPM also said that the GVN was trying to show the
public and the National Assembly (currently in session in Hanoi)
that although Vietnam was through the worst of the economic crisis,
the economy needed to be managed prudently, especially because
monetary and financial conditions were still volatile. The economy
will not "simply fly again," he stated.
CIVIL NUCLEAR POWER
--------------
7. (SBU) The DPM thanked the Ambassador for U.S. cooperation in
converting the Dalat nuclear research reactor from highly-enriched
uranium (HEU) to low-enriched uranium, and the proposal to remove
HEU spent fuel. He was also pleased to hear that the MOU on
exchanging technical information related to Vietnam's ambitions for
nuclear power generation was going through the clearance process in
the United States. However, the DPM noted that barriers remained
for U.S. businesses to invest directly in civil nuclear power
projects in Vietnam, saying that GE told him they would have to go
through its Japanese partner, Toshiba.
COMMENT
HANOI 00000536 002.2 OF 002
--------------
8. (SBU) Although the GVN continues to support U.S. investment in
the energy sector, several major projects remain pending.
Investment in Vietnam's energy sector is still a long-term
commitment for U.S. companies, as AES's seven-year effort to reach
agreement shows.
PALMER