VIETNAM FLEXIBLE ON CLIMATE CHANGE NEGOTIATIONS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 000670

SENSITIVE
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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

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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
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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
--------------


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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