VIETNAM FLEXIBLE ON CLIMATE CHANGE NEGOTIATIONS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 000670 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/MLS, EAP/EP, OES/EGC, OES/STC STATE PASS TO USAID FOR ANE, G/ENV, EGAT/ESP EPA FOR OIA (MARK KASMAN) STATE PASS TO NOAA/NOS/OIA (JONATHAN JUSTI) USDA FOR FOREST SERVICE/INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS (CYNTHIA MACKIE AND ELIZABETH LEBOW) INTERIOR FOR U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY (GREG SMITH) BANGKOK PASS TO RDMA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SENV ENRG ECON KGHG VM SUBJECT: VIETNAM FLEXIBLE ON CLIMATE CHANGE NEGOTIATIONS Ref: A. State 70837 HANOI 00000670 001.2 OF 002 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: The Government of Vietnam (GVN) will send a high-level delegation to the fifteenth Conference of the Parties under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 15) in Copenhagen this December. While the GVN plans a flexible approach to the COP, it is somewhat pessimistic about chances for success. The GVN is interested in developing a unified ASEAN negotiating strategy and is hesitant to unquestioningly follow China's lead. The GVN is pleased by increased U.S. engagement in the issue and hopes for more opportunities to discuss with U.S. negotiators. End Summary. GVN Delegation to Copenhagen -------------- ¶2. (SBU) On July 15, 2009, Pham Van Tan, the Deputy Director of the International Cooperation Department at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE),told Emboff that either Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung or Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai likely will lead the Vietnamese delegation to Copenhagen. The delegation should include representatives from MONRE, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Ministry of Construction, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, and the Ministry of Information and Communication. MONRE Minister Pham Khoi Nguyen will join the delegation with the other ministries represented at the vice-ministerial level (Note: The U.S.-Vietnam Business Council recently supported training by the Environmental Defense Fund for the Vietnamese climate change negotiating team). GVN Somewhat Pessimistic About Copenhagen Success -------------- -------------- ¶3. (SBU) The GVN is somewhat pessimistic about reaching an agreement at Copenhagen. According to Tan, the GVN found the final text from the recent Bonn climate negotiations to be too complicated and difficult to manage. Though it hoped that the parties could reach agreement before December, the GVN worried that the parties would not be able to resolve or simplify the differences in the current version of the negotiation document and wondered if the better option might be to start over and try something different. GVN Plans Flexible Approach -------------- ¶4. (SBU) As the GVN negotiators circulate the Bonn text to all concerned ministries to determine the GVN position, the GVN hopes to develop a flexible position to help bridge the differences between the developed and developing world. While Vietnam generally agrees with the position expressed by the G-77 -- that the developed world has a responsibility to provide solutions to global warming -- it understands that a doctrinaire position will not succeed. Both developed and developing countries need to understand that they will not achieve all their goals at Copenhagen. While many developing countries call for developed countries to fund their adaptation efforts strictly through unconditional grants, the GVN believes this is not feasible and remains open to discuss other means of support. GVN and ASEAN Initiatives -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Tan noted that representatives from ASEAN countries in Bonn had met to try to develop a common negotiating position and the GVN expected the Government of Thailand to present a draft to the other ASEAN governments in August. In the run up to Copenhagen, the GVN plans to propose the establishment of a network of research institutes in Asia to exchange climate change information between developed and developing countries. Vietnam Not Yet Convinced by China -------------- HANOI 00000670 002.2 OF 002 ¶6. (SBU) During the last Bonn sessions, China urged the G77 to hold firm on requiring that only the developed world cut emissions. Tan noted that many delegations did not agree with China. While Vietnam did not necessarily oppose China, any such determinations needed to be based on concrete research, which China had not yet provided. Additionally, Vietnam did not agree with the focus by China and India on emissions per capita in determining mitigation responsibilities. Vietnam, by contrast, has joined other G77 members to urge that responsibilities be determined based upon GDP. Vietnam Wants to Engage with the United States -------------- - ¶7. (SBU) Vietnam very much supported regional discussions with the United States, particularly if those talks covered possible U.S. assistance to Southeast Asian climate change responses. While the GVN had a generally positive view of the U.S.-led Major Economies Forum, it had not paid that much attention to it. At the same time, Tan noted that the GVN wants the United States to continue to increase its involvement in multilateral climate change discussions. MICHALAK