Joint Demarche Delivered on Preparations for Third Sherpa

UNCLAS HANOI 000106 SENSITIVE SIPDIS AMBASSADOR BONNIE JENKINS (ISN/TR),LAURA HOLGATE (NSC) AND JOYCE CONNERY (NSC) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PARM EAID TBIO IAEA AORC CDG ENRG MNUC PGOV PREL VM SUBJECT: Joint Demarche Delivered on Preparations for Third Sherpa Meeting and April Nuclear Security Summit REF: REF. A) 10 STATE 7493; REF. B) 10 STATE 5891; REF. C) HANOI 03 ¶1. (SBU) On January 27, PolOff, together with the Dutch Charge Collett, met with MFA International Organizations Assistant Director General Do Hung Viet to deliver reftel A demarche regarding the Third Sherpa Meeting in the Hague on February 9-11. PolOff and Collett highlighted the importance of the Third Sherpa Meeting and encouraged Vietnam to participate actively in the formulation of the draft Communiqu???? and Work Plan. Viet, who will attend the Sherpa Meeting with the Vietnamese Ambassador to the Netherlands and a senior official from the Ministry of Science and Technology, noted that Vietnam placed great importance on the Sherpa meetings, as evidenced by its high-level attendance at past meetings. Viet added that the delegation looks forward to being active participants in the process. Poloff and Viet agreed to meet after Viet's return from the Sherpa Meeting to exchange views. ¶2. (SBU) Following the departure of the Dutch Charge, Poloff and Viet turned their discussion specifically to the April Nuclear Security Summit. Poloff relayed reftel B points, stressing that the Summit will focus narrowly on the security of nuclear materials and build on existing mechanisms, not create new nuclear initiatives. Viet said the GVN was well-aware of the Summit's focus and objectives, and noted PM Dung was looking forward to participating. MFA Director General for International Organizations Trung will accompany the PM. Not surprisingly, Viet reiterated PM Dung would seek an Oval Office meeting during his visit to Washington, as well as a meeting with the Secretary. (Comment: During their January 13 lunch, Vice Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh told the Ambassador that PM Dung was interested in arranging a bilateral program during his visit to Washington, including a meeting with the President. The Ambassador said he would relay the request, but was non-committal reftel C. End comment.) ¶3. (SBU) Poloff then informed Viet that ISN DAS Kang would visit Vietnam during the week of March 8 to discuss non-proliferation matters with the GVN. Viet welcomed the visit as a useful opportunity to exchange views on non-proliferation issues before the Summit. Viet concluded the meeting by expressing appreciation for the Embassy and Washington's close coordination Summit-related matters, offering "your consistent communication is appreciated and has made the process less complicated." Michalak