This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.


2000HANOI02452 - UNCLASSIFIED
 
 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ9750

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      TEDE-00  INR-00   VCE-00   AC-01    NSAE-00  OES-01   PM-00    
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FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1266
INFO DEPTTREAS WASHDC
USDOC WASHDC
USDA FAS WASHDC
DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC
AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY 
ASEAN COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 002452 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV, EAP/EP, EB/TPP, EB/OIA, EB/ODF, 
EAP/RSP, OES, INR/EAP/SEA 
STATE PASS USTR FOR DAUSTR DAMOND 
STATE PASS USAID FOR ANE/ANDERSON/FERRARA/MCCLUSKEY 
TREAS FOR OASIA 
USDOC FOR 4421/MAC/AP/AKSA/HPPHO 
USDA FOR FAS/ITP/SHEIKH/HUYNH 
PHNOM PENH FOR USAID LCHILES 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PREL SENV TPHY EAID ECIN VM ASEAN
SUBJECT:  READOUT FROM ASEAN STANDING COMMITTEE MEETING ON US-ASEAN DIALOGUE 
 
¶1.   THIS IS AN ACTION CABLE.  SEE PARAS 3-4. 
 
¶2.   MFA ASEAN DEPARTMENT DEPUTY DIRECTOR NGUYEN HOANG AN 
GAVE POLCOUNS AND POLOFF A READOUT NOV. 1 ON THE "STATUS 
REPORT ON ASEAN-U.S. RELATIONS" WHICH WAS DISCUSSED AT THE 
OCT 9-11 34TH ASEAN STANDING COMMITTEE MEETING IN HANOI. AN 
ALSO PRESENTED FOLLOW-UP REQUESTS FROM THAT MEETING. A COPY 
OF THE REPORT FOLLOWS. 
 
BEGIN TEXT: 
 
THE FIRST MEETING OF THE 34TH ASEAN STANDING COMMITTEE (ASC 
1/34) HANOI, 9-11 OCTOBER 2000 
 
STATUS REPORT OF THE ASEAN-UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 
RELATIONS 
 
¶I.  SUMMARY RECORD OF THE PMC-PLUS-ONE SESSION WITH THE 
UNITED STATES: 
 
THE PMC-PLUS-ONE SESSION WITH THE US WAS HELD ON 28 JULY 
2000 IN BANGKOK.  THE SUMMARY RECORD OF THE MEETING HAS BEEN 
FINALIZED. 
 
II.  DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION: 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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1) ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CENTRE FOR THE ASSESSMENT AND 
PROMOTION OF ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND TECHNOLOGIES IN ASEAN: 
THE ASEAN SECRETARIAT AND THE US-ASIA ENVIRONMENTAL 
PARTNERSHIP (AEP) ARE WORKING TOWARD THE FINALIZATION OF THE 
TOR FOR THE CONSULTANTS TO UNDERTAKE THE FEASIBILITY STUDY 
ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CENTRE IN ASEAN.  THIS CENTRE 
WILL ACT AS A CLEARINGHOUSE FOR CLEAN TECHNOLOGIES AND 
ESPECIALLY FOR SMES.  THE DRAFT TOR FOR THE CONSULTANTS TO 
UNDERTAKE THE FEASIBILITY STUDY ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE 
CENTRE IN ASEAN WAS CIRCULATED TO ASEAN SUB-COMMITTEE ON 
ENVIRONMENT (ASOEN) FOCAL POINTS FOR THEIR COMMENTS.  THE 
ASEAN SECRETARIAT WAS REQUESTED TO CONTINUE WORKING TOGETHER 
WITH THE US-ASIA ENVIRONMENTAL PARTNERSHIP (US-AEP) IN 
FINALIZING THE TOR. 
 
2) ASEAN-US COOPERATION IN ENVIRONMENT:  AT THE RECENT PMC 
MEETING, THE US ANNOUNCED THE INTENTION TO PROVIDE ANOTHER 
US$3.5 MILLION OF THE EAST ASIA AND PACIFIC ENVIRONMENTAL 
INITIATIVE FUND IN A BROAD RANGE OF NEW PROJECTS, INVOLVING 
FOREST MANAGEMENT, FOREST FIRE AND HAZE CONTROL, 
PRESERVATION OF CORAL REEFS, PROTECTION OF BIODIVERSITY. 
ASEAN WOULD LIKE TO SEEK CLARIFICATION FROM THE US ON USING 
THIS CONTRIBUTION AND WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THE ASSISTANCE 
TO ASEAN BE CHANNELD THROUGH ASEAN MECHANISMS. 
 
3) ASEAN-US COOPERATION ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY:  AT THE 
15TH ASEAN-US DIALOGUE MEETING HELD ON 24-25 MAY IN KUALA 
LUMPUR, ASEAN AND THE US RECOGNIZED THAT THE ADVANCES IN 
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND IN HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT 
HAD BEEN CRUCIAL TO SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND DISCUSSED 
EXISTING AND PLANNED AREAS OF COOPERATION IN BIOTECHNOLOGY, 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, METEOROLOGY AND PHYSICS, 
MICROELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, MATERIAL 
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, NON-CONVENTIONAL ENERGY RESEARCH, 
MARINE SCIENCES AND SPACE TECHNOLOGY AND APPLICATIONS. 
ASEAN SUGGESTED US SUPPORT FOR ASEAN'S INITIATIVES SUCH AS 
THE ASEAN VIRTUAL UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, 
ASEAN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY NETWORK, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 
MANAGEMENT THROUGH TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AND CONTINUED US 
COLLABORATION IN THE AREAS OF EDUCATION, R&D AND QUALITY 
SYSTEMS, WHICH WERE CRITICAL ELEMENTS FOR THE PROMOTION OF 
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT. 
ASEAN WOULD LIKE TO HAVE MORE INFORMATION ON THE 
IMPLEMENTATION. 
 
4) HRD SUPPORT FROM THE US-ASEAN BUSINESS COUNCIL:  THE US- 
ASEAN BUSINESS COUNCIL HAS CREATED THE ASEAN-US CENTRE FOR 
TECHNOLOGY COOPERATION (CTC) TO PROVIDE BUSINESS-LED 
TRAINING AND TECHNOLOGY EXCHANGE PROGRAMMES TO SUPPORT ASEAN 
COUNTRIES IN HRD, WITH A PARTICULAR FOCUS ON NEW ASEAN 
COUNTRIES.  THE ASEAN PROGRAMME WILL BE MANAGED BY THE 
REGIONAL CENTRE IN MANILA.  PROGRAMMING WILL BE JOINTLY 
UNDERTAKEN BY ASEAN AND THE US-ASEAN BUSINESS COUNCIL AND 
IMPLEMENTED BY USING PRIVATE SECTOR FUNDING AS A PRIMARY 
SOURCE.  AEM AND US BUSINESS COUNCIL HAVE MET RECENTLY 
DURING THE AEM MEETING. 
 
5) ASSISTANCE TO THE ASEAN CENTRE FOR COMBATING 
TRANSNATIONAL CRIME (ACTC):  THE US HAS OFFERED TO PROVIDE 
TEMPORARY DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE AND COMPUTER EQUIPMENT FOR 
THE ACTC ONCE THE AGREEMENT TO ESTABLISH THE CENTRE HAS BEEN 
SIGNED IN ORDER TO SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF A REGIONAL 
DATABASE ON TRANSNATIONAL CRIME.  DECISION ON THE 
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE ACTC IS UNDER DISCUSSION AMONG ASEAN 
COUNTRIES.  ON TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES, THE US HAS ALSO 
EXPRESSED INTEREST IN CONTINUING TO COLLABORATE WITH ASEAN 
IN COMBATING TRANSNATIONAL CRIME, IN THE COOPERATION ON 
NARCOTICS THROUGH REGIONAL ACTIVITIES, AND IN THE 
COOPERATIVE PROGRAMMES TO ADDRESS THE HIV-AIDS PROBLEM. 
ASEAN WOULD LIKE TO HAVE MORE INFORMATION ON THE 
IMPLEMENTATION. 
 
6)  THE US HAS ATTENDED THE US-ACCSQ (ASEAN CONSULTATIVE 
COMMITTEE ON STANDARDS AND QUALITY) CONSULTATION ON 
STANDARDS AND CONFORMANCE IN BALI IN AUGUST 2000 TO EXPLORE 
POSSIBLE AREAS FOR COOPERATION. 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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7) THE US HAS CONVEYED A DISCUSSION PAPER TO ASEAN PROPOSING 
TO INVIGORATE THE US-ASEAN DIALOGUE IN TRADE AND INVESTMENT. 
THE 32ND AEM IN CHIANG MAI HAS AGREED TO HOLD A DIALOGUE ON 
TRADE AND INVESTMENT WITH THE USTR BACK-TO-BACK WITH SEOM IN 
MAY 2001 IN SIEM REAP, CAMBODIA. 
 
III. ASEAN-USDA EXCHANGE OF LETTERS ON COOPERATION IN FOOD, 
AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY AND IN RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND 
POVERTY ALLEVIATION: 
 
THE ASEAN SECRETARIAT HAS TRANSMITTED THE EXCHANGE LETTER 
BETWEEN THE SECVRETARY-GENERAL OF ASEAN AND THE US SECRETARY 
OF AGRICULTURE TO THE US AND IS AWAITING RESPONSE FROM THE 
US DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, TO FORMALIZE USDA'S COMMITMENT 
TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO ASEAN FOR THE DEVELOPMENT 
OF INDUSTRIES RELATED TO THE REGION'S FOOD, AGRICULTURE, 
LIVESTOCK, FISHERIES AND POVERTY ALLEVIATION. 
 
END TEXT. 
 
¶3.   AN MADE THE FOLLOWING ADDITIONAL COMMENTS/QUESTIONS ON 
THE TEXT: 
 
     -- ENVIRONMENTAL COOPERATION:  AN NOTED THAT THERE HAS 
BEEN NO FURTHER INFORMATION ON THIS OFFER SINCE THE JULY PMC 
AND ASKED FOR MORE DETAIL.  SPECIFICALLY, AN SAID, ASEAN 
WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THE PROPOSED ADDITIONAL FUNDS WOULD BE 
USED FOR REGIONAL PROJECTS ONLY, OR ALSO BILATERAL PROJECTS. 
ASEAN ALSO WANTS TO KNOW HOW FUNDS WOULD BE CHANNELED, AND 
WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A U.S.-ASEAN 
FUND, SUCH AS ASEAN HAS WITH OTHER DIALOGUE PARTNERS, TO 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        HANOI  02452  02 OF 02  080133Z 
FACILITATE PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION.  AN NOTED THAT THE 
ESTABLISHMENT OF SUCH A FUND WOULD MAKE THE U.S. A "FULL 
PARTNER" OF ASEAN. 
 
     -- S&T COOPERATION:  AN EMPHASIZED THAT ASEAN WOULD 
LIKE TO PROPOSE THE U.S. SUPPORT ASEAN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEMS. 
 
     -- TRANSNATIONAL CRIME:  AN NOTED THAT ASEAN IS NOW 
FINALIZING A MOU ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE ACTC.  WHEN THE 
MOU IS COMPLETE, ASEAN WILL WANT TO MAKE USE OF THE OFFERED 
US ASSISTANCE.  AN WAS NOT ABLE TO COMMENT ON WHEN THE MOU 
MIGHT BE COMPLETE. 
 
     -- AGRICULTURAL COOPERATION:  AN NOTED THAT THERE HAS 
BEEN NO RESPONSE TO ASEAN'S LETTER AND ASKED FOR FEEDBACK 
FROM USDA. 
 
¶4.   ACTION REQUEST:  REQUEST DEPARTMENT REACTIONS TO THE 
STANDING COMMITTEE'S QUESTIONS/COMMENTS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE 
TO SHARE WITH THE MFA. 
 
PETERSON 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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