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Reference ID	Created	Released	Classification	Origin
02HANOI2622	2002-10-30 09:36	2011-08-30 01:44	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	Embassy Hanoi

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


2002HANOI02622 - UNCLASSIFIED
 
 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ7917

PAGE 01        HANOI  02622  01 OF 04  301009Z 
ACTION EAP-00   

INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AGRE-00  AID-00   A-00     CA-01    CCO-00   
      CEA-01   CG-00    CIAE-00  COME-00  CTME-00  INL-00   DOEE-00  
      ITCE-00  DOTE-00  SRPP-00  DS-00    EB-00    EXME-00  EUR-00   
      OIGO-00  E-00     FAAE-00  FBIE-00  UTED-00  VC-00    FRB-00   
      H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00   INSE-00  ITC-01   LAB-01   L-00     
      VCE-00   M-00     AC-01    DCP-01   NRCE-00  NSAE-00  OCS-03   
      OES-01   OMB-01   OPIC-01  PA-00    PM-00    PRS-00   ACE-00   
      P-00     SCT-00   SP-00    SSO-00   STR-00   TEST-00  TRSE-00  
      USIE-00  USSS-00  SA-00    ASDS-01  EPAE-00  PMB-00   DSCC-00  
      PRM-00   DRL-02   G-00     NFAT-00  SAS-00     /016W
                  ------------------00836B  301012Z /38    
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 7962
INFO AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY 
AMEMBASSY MINSK 
AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 
USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI
NSC WASHDC
SECDEF WASHDC//ISA/ACHAO//

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 HANOI 002622 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV, EUR/RUS, EUR/UMB 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        HANOI  02622  01 OF 04  301009Z 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PTER ETRD EAID ECON BO RS VM
SUBJECT:  NONG DUC MANH VISITS RUSSIA AND BELARUS, 
--          REAFFIRMS PERSONAL AND BILATERAL TIES 
 
REF:  HANOI 2493 
 
¶1.  (U)  SUMMARY.  NONG DUC MANH, GENERAL SECRETARY OF THE 
COMMUNIST PARTY OF VIETNAM (CPV), VISITED RUSSIA OCTOBER 9- 
13 AND BELARUS OCTOBER 13-15.  ALL SIDES HAVE DESCRIBED THE 
CAREFULLY SCRIPTED VISITS AS "SUCCESSFUL."  MANH'S FOCUS WAS 
ON IMPROVING TRADE AND REAFFIRMING HIS "STRONG PERSONAL 
RELATIONS."  RUSSIA DOES NOT APPEAR ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT A 
FREE TRADE AGREEMENT WITH VIETNAM; BELARUS DOES, HOWEVER. 
OTHER TOPICS RAISED INCLUDED CAM RANH BAY (AT LEAST 
INFORMALLY); INCREASING COOPERATION IN SCIENCE AND 
TECHNOLOGY AND CULTURE; THE OVERSEAS VIETNAMESE COMMUNITY; 
AND TERRORISM.  A SEPARATE GVN MILITARY DELEGATION 
DISCUSSED SEARCH-AND-RESCUE COOPERATION WITH RUSSIAN 
COUNTERPARTS, WHILE ANOTHER MILITARY DELEGATION VISITED 
BELARUS JUST AFTER MANH DEPARTED.  REFTEL REPORTED ON MANH'S 
VISIT TO JAPAN, WHICH TOOK PLACE JUST PRIOR TO HIS VISITS TO 
RUSSIA AND BELARUS.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (U)  THIS WAS MANH'S FIRST VISIT TO RUSSIA AND BELARUS 
SINCE BECOMING GENERAL SECRETARY IN APRIL 2001, ALTHOUGH HE 
HAD BEEN TO BOTH PREVIOUSLY AS NATIONAL ASSEMBLY CHAIRMAN. 
HIS HOSTS, PRESIDENTS PUTIN AND LUKASHENKO, HAD EACH VISITED 
VIETNAM WITHIN THE PAST TWO YEARS.  PRIME MINISTER PHAN VAN 
KHAI VISITED THE TWO COUNTRIES IN SEPTEMBER 2000.  OFFICIALS 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        HANOI  02622  01 OF 04  301009Z 
WHO ACCOMPANIED MANH ON THIS TRIP INCLUDED DEPUTY PRIME 
MINISTER VU KHOAN, FOREIGN MINISTER NGUYEN DY NIEN, SEVERAL 
HIGH RANKING CPV OFFICIALS, MINISTER OF PLANNING AND 
INVESTMENT VO HONG PHUC, MINISTER OF INDUSTRY HOANG TRUNG 
HAI, AND MINISTER OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING NGUYEN MINH 
HIEN. 
 
¶3.  (U)  IN RUSSIA, MANH SPENT MOST OF HIS TIME IN MOSCOW, 
WHERE HE MET WITH PRESIDENT PUTIN, PRIME MINISTER KASYANOV, 
THE SPEAKER OF THE DUMA, MOSCOW'S MAYOR, AND SEVERAL LEADERS 
OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF RUSSIA, ACCORDING TO PRESS 
REPORTS.  MANH ALSO VISITED ST. PETERSBURG'S ACADEMY OF 
FORESTRY, WHERE HE HAD STUDIED IN THE LATE 1960S AND WHERE 
HE ON THIS VISIT HAD "INFORMAL AND FRIENDLY" EXCHANGES WITH 
FACULTY AND STUDENTS, ACCORDING TO VLADIMIR TOKMAKOV, 
RUSSIAN EMBASSY FIRST SECRETARY.  IN BELARUS, MANH MET WITH 
PRESIDENT ALEXANDER LUKASHENKO, UPPER CHAMBER SPEAKER 
ALEXANDER VOITOVICH, LOWER HOUSE SPEAKER VADIM POPOV, AND 
FIRST DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER SERGEY SIDORSKY, ACCORDING TO 
INFORMATION PROVIDED BY BELARUS EMBASSY CHARGE D'AFFAIRES 
ALEKSANDER PARKHUTA. 
 
----------------- 
TRADE - IMPROVING 
----------------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  BILATERAL TRADE WITH RUSSIAN IS REPORTEDLY 
EXPECTED TO INCREASE ALMOST 40 PERCENT FROM 2001 TO 2002 - 
TO ALMOST USD 700 MILLION - BUT THIS REMAINS "MODEST" 
COMPARED TO BILATERAL TRADE BETWEEN VIETNAM AND THE U.S. AND 
VIETNAM AND THE PRC, ACCORDING TO VARIOUS SOURCES.  (TRADE 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        HANOI  02622  01 OF 04  301009Z 
WITH THE U.S. IS EXPECTED TO REACH ABOUT USD 1.7 BILLION 
THIS YEAR WHILE TRADE WITH THE PRC WILL PROBABLY EXCEED USD 
3 BILLION.)  TWO-WAY TRADE CURRENTLY FAVORS RUSSIA - ITS 
EXPORTS TO VIETNAM ARE ABOUT DOUBLE ITS IMPORTS, ACCORDING 
TO PRESS REPORTS AND THE VIETNAM TRADE PROMOTION AGENCY. 
WITHOUT GOING INTO DETAILS, THE RUSSIAN EMBASSY'S TOKMAKOV 
SAID THAT PROSPECTS ARE "EXCELLENT" FOR TWO-WAY TRADE TO 
REACH USD ONE BILLION "OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS."  TOKMAKOV 
OPINED THAT ONE REASON FOR THE MOST RECENT JUMP WAS THE 
VISIT OF PRESIDENT PUTIN TO VIETNAM IN MARCH 2001, AND THE 
"MANY ADDITIONAL BUSINESS CONTACTS" THAT THIS VISIT HAD 
FACILITATED.  ADDITIONALLY, VIETNAM IS BEGINNING TO INVEST 
IN JOINT VENTURES IN RUSSIA, ESPECIALLY IN THE FOODSTUFFS 
AND GARMENT INDUSTRIES. 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  MANH'S DELEGATION RAISED THE IDEA OF A FREE TRADE 
AGREEMENT WITH RUSSIA.  TOKMAKOV AND, SEPARATELY, DR. BUI 
HUY KHOAT, DIRECTOR OF THE INSTITUTE OF EUROPEAN STUDIES OF 
THE NATIONAL CENTRE FOR SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES, 
NOTED THAT THIS HAD BEEN ON THE GVN'S AGENDA PREVIOUSLY, BUT 
THE RUSSIANS CONTINUE TO BE "UNENTHUSIASTIC" ABOUT IT, 
ACCORDING TO KHOAT.  TOKMAKOV SAID THAT THE RUSSIAN SIDE HAD 
REQUESTED ADDITIONAL CLARIFICATIONS FROM THE VIETNAMESE AS 
TO JUST WHAT THEY MEAN BY A "FREE TRADE AGREEMENT."  DR. 
KHOAT OPINED IT WOULD "PROBABLY" BE DISCUSSED AT THE NEXT 
SEMI-ANNUAL MEETING OF THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL COMMISSION, BUT 
NOTED THAT RUSSIA IS "MOST LIKELY MORE INTERESTED IN 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ7919 
 
PAGE 01        HANOI  02622  02 OF 04  301010Z 
ACTION EAP-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AGRE-00  AID-00   A-00     CA-01    CCO-00 
      CEA-01   CG-00    CIAE-00  COME-00  CTME-00  INL-00   DOEE-00 
      ITCE-00  DOTE-00  SRPP-00  DS-00    EB-00    EXME-00  EUR-00 
      OIGO-00  E-00     FAAE-00  FBIE-00  UTED-00  VC-00    FRB-00 
      H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00   INSE-00  ITC-01   LAB-01   L-00 
      VCE-00   M-00     AC-01    NRCE-00  NSAE-00  OCS-03   OES-01 
      OMB-01   OPIC-01  PA-00    PM-00    PRS-00   ACE-00   P-00 
      SCT-00   SP-00    SSO-00   STR-00   TEST-00  TRSE-00  USIE-00 
      USSS-00  SA-00    R-00     EPAE-00  PMB-00   DSCC-00  PRM-00 
      DRL-02   G-00     NFAT-00  SAS-00     /014W 
                  ------------------00837C  301012Z /38 
R 300936Z OCT 02 
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 7963 
INFO AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY 
AMEMBASSY MINSK 
AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 
USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI 
NSC WASHDC 
SECDEF WASHDC//ISA/ACHAO// 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 04 HANOI 002622 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV, EUR/RUS, EUR/UMB 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        HANOI  02622  02 OF 04  301010Z 
 
ACCESSION TO THE WTO" THAN NEGOTIATING A SEPARATE TRADE 
AGREEMENT WITH VIETNAM.  (NOTE:  WHAT VIETNAM IS MOSTLY 
LIKELY SEEKING IS LOWER TARIFFS ON VIETNAMESE GOODS EXPORTED 
TO RUSSIA. END NOTE) 
 
¶6.  (U)  TRADE WITH BELARUS IS "VERY MODEST," ADMITTED 
NGUYEN MANH HUNG, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE CPV CENTRAL 
COMMITTEE'S COMMISSION FOR EXTERNAL RELATIONS.  DURING THE 
FIRST SIX MONTHS OF 2002, TRADE TURNOVER REACHED JUST USD 15 
MILLION.  (THIS APPEARS TO REPRESENT A DECLINE FROM 2001, 
WHEN BILATERAL TRADE REACHED ABOUT USD 41 MILLION, ACCORDING 
TO ONE PRESS REPORT.)  VIETNAM IMPORTS TRUCKS, TRACTORS, 
MOTORBIKES, FERTILIZERS, AND ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT AND 
EXPORTS RICE, GROUND NUTS, COFFEE, PROCESSED FRUIT AND 
VEGETABLES, TEXTILES, AND FOOTWEAR. 
 
¶7.  (SBU)  HUNG (WHO ACCOMPANIED MANH ON THE TRIP) EXPRESSED 
OPTIMISM THAT MANH'S VISIT WILL "HELP BOTH SIDES REACH THEIR 
TRADE POTENTIAL."  HE POINTED TO A "PRELIMINARY" AGREEMENT 
FOR VIETNAM TO ASSEMBLE BELARUS TRACTORS (CONTINGENT UPON A 
FEASIBILITY STUDY) AS WELL AS A JOINT VENTURE TO ASSEMBLE 
MINSK MOTORBIKES, WHICH ARE POPULAR IN VIETNAM'S MOUNTAINOUS 
REGIONS.  ACCORDING TO PRESS REPORTS, BELARUS HAS THUS FAR 
ONLY INVESTED IN TWO JOINT VENTURES - BOTH IN QUANG NINH 
PROVINCE IN NORTHEASTERN VIETNAM: ONE TO REFURBISH USED 
TRUCKS AND ANOTHER TO PRODUCE CONDOMS.  HUNG DID NOT EXPLAIN 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        HANOI  02622  02 OF 04  301010Z 
WHY BILATERAL TRADE WILL APPARENTLY DECLINE THIS YEAR, BUT 
NOTED THAT, "ON THE POSITIVE SIDE," BELARUS LEADERS HAVE 
INDICATED INTEREST IN A FREE TRADE AGREEMENT WITH VIETNAM. 
WHILE HE EXPRESSED OPTIMISM THAT SUCH AN AGREEMENT WOULD 
EXPAND TWO-WAY TRADE "SIGNIFICANTLY," HE DECLINED TO PREDICT 
WHEN IT MIGHT BE CONCLUDED OR PROVIDE DETAILS AS TO WHAT 
SUCH AN AGREEMENT MIGHT ENTAIL. 
 
---------------------------------- 
CAM RANH BAY - NO CHANGE IN STATUS 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶8.  (SBU)  DR. KHOAT AND TOKMAKOV CONFIRMED SEPARATELY THAT 
CAM RANH BAY WAS NOT OFFICIALLY ON THE AGENDA.  HOWEVER, 
ACCORDING TO A RUSSIAN PRESS REPORT, MANH AND PUTIN BRIEFLY 
DISCUSSED THE FUTURE OF THE BASE AND MANH PROMISED IT WOULD 
"NOT BE GIVEN AWAY TO ANY STATE."  THE CPV'S HUNG SAID THAT 
HE "DID NOT RECALL" THE TWO LEADERS DISCUSSING CAM RANH BAY, 
BUT SAID THAT THE CITED PRESS REPORT WAS CONSISTENT WITH 
VIETNAM'S POSITION, WHICH IS "WELL-KNOWN TO RUSSIA AND OTHER 
COUNTRIES." (NOTE:  THE GVN HAS MADE IT CLEAR THAT IT WOULD 
NOT LEASE CAM RANH BAY AGAIN TO ANY SINGLE FOREIGN MILITARY. 
END NOTE) 
 
----------- 
COOPERATION 
----------- 
 
¶9.  (SBU)  HUNG SAID THAT THE VISITS HAD PROVIDED A FORUM TO 
DISCUSS COOPERATION IN OTHER AREAS, SPECIFICALLY SCIENCE AND 
TECHNOLOGY AND CULTURAL EXCHANGES, AS WELL AS VIETNAM'S 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        HANOI  02622  02 OF 04  301010Z 
DESIRE TO SEE RUSSIA EXPAND TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES FOR 
VIETNAMESE STUDENTS.  HUNG CITED A "VERY POSITIVE" MEETING 
BETWEEN GVN DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER (AND FORMER TRADE 
MINISTER) VU KHOAN AND RUSSIA'S DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER 
KRISTENKO, DURING WHICH THEY DISCUSSED A "GENERAL FRAMEWORK" 
FOR SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL COOPERATION.  HUNG SAID 
THAT THIS WOULD BE REVIEWED IN MORE DETAIL AT THE NEXT INTER- 
GOVERNMENTAL COMMISSION MEETING, SCHEDULED TO TAKE PLACE IN 
DECEMBER.  IN ADDITION, HUNG NOTED THAT THE LEADERS 
DISCUSSED THEIR DESIRE FOR "FURTHER CULTURAL TIES" BETWEEN 
CITIES IN RUSSIA AND VIETNAM.  REGARDING TRAINING, HUNG SAID 
THAT VIETNAMESE CONTINUE TO REGARD RUSSIA AS A "DESIRABLE 
LOCATION" FOR ADVANCED STUDIES AND TRAINING.  ALTHOUGH 
UNABLE TO CITE SPECIFIC FIGURES, HUNG SAID THE NUMBERS OF 
VIETNAMESE STUDYING IN RUSSIA IS "INCREASING STEADILY;" 
MANH THANKED PUTIN FOR RUSSIA'S CONTINUED SUPPORT IN THIS 
SECTOR. (NOTE: IN THE HEYDAY OF EDUCATIONAL "EXCHANGES", THE 
FORMER SOVIET UNION AND OTHER EASTERN BLOC NATIONS SPONSORED 
UP TO 20,000 VIETNAMESE STUDENTS A YEAR ON "FULL" 
SCHOLARSHIPS.  MOST VIETNAMESE OFFICIALS OVER 45 YEARS OLD 
HOLD DEGREES FROM MOSCOW, SOFIA, BUDAPEST, BERLIN, AND 
WARSAW ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS.  WITH THE CHANGE IN POLITICAL 
SYSTEMS AND POLITICAL PRIORITIES IN THOSE FORMER COMMUNIST 
COMRADE COUNTRIES, SCHOLARSHIPS DROPPED DRAMATICALLY AND IN 
SOME CASES, DISAPPEARED.  MOST VIETNAMESE THESE DAYS WOULD 
PREFER TO GO TO THE U.S., AUSTRALIA OR EUROPE TO STUDY.  END 
NOTE) 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTO7250 
 
PAGE 01        HANOI  02622  03 OF 04  301010Z 
ACTION EAP-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AGRE-00  AID-00   A-00     CA-01    CCO-00 
      CEA-01   CG-00    CIAE-00  COME-00  CTME-00  INL-00   USNW-00 
      DOEE-00  ITCE-00  DOTE-00  SRPP-00  DS-00    EB-00    EXME-00 
      EUR-00   OIGO-00  E-00     FAAE-00  FBIE-00  UTED-00  VC-00 
      FRB-00   H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00   INSE-00  ITC-01   LAB-01 
      L-00     VCE-00   M-00     AC-01    DCP-01   NRCE-00  NSAE-00 
      OCS-03   OES-01   OMB-01   OPIC-01  PA-00    PM-00    PRS-00 
      ACE-00   P-00     SCT-00   SP-00    SSO-00   STR-00   TEST-00 
      TRSE-00  USIE-00  USSS-00  SA-00    ASDS-01  EPAE-00  PMB-00 
      DSCC-00  PRM-00   DRL-02   G-00     NFAT-00  SAS-00     /016W 
                  ------------------00838C  301013Z /38 
R 300936Z OCT 02 
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 7964 
INFO AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY 
AMEMBASSY MINSK 
AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 
USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI 
NSC WASHDC 
SECDEF WASHDC//ISA/ACHAO// 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 03 OF 04 HANOI 002622 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV, EUR/RUS, EUR/UMB 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        HANOI  02622  03 OF 04  301010Z 
 
------------------------------------- 
OVERSEAS VIETNAMESE - NOT ALL IS WELL 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶10.  (SBU)  TOKMAKOV SAID THAT MOST OF THE 120,000 
VIETNAMESE LIVING IN RUSSIA ARE DOING SO LEGALLY, BUT THERE 
"HAVE BEEN PROBLEMS" WITH SOME VIETNAMESE OVERSTAYING VISAS 
AND OTHERS ENGAGING IN TRADE INVOLVING COUNTERFEIT GOODS. 
ACCORDING TO ONE PRESS REPORT, RUSSIAN AUTHORITIES CRACKED 
DOWN IN AUGUST, CLOSING A VIETNAMESE-RUN TRADE CENTER AND 
SEIZING "COUNTERFEIT" GOODS AT ANOTHER.  TOKMAKOV SAID THERE 
HAVE ALSO BEEN "UNFORTUNATE INCIDENTS" OF RUSSIAN 
"HOOLIGANS" ATTACKING VIETNAMESE IN MOSCOW.  THE CPV'S HUNG 
CLAIMED THAT THERE ARE "NO ILLEGAL VIETNAMESE" IN RUSSIA. 
HE EXPLAINED THAT MANY VIETNAMESE HAD GONE TO RUSSIA DURING 
THE SOVIET ERA ON CONTRACTS; SOME WERE THE VICTIMS OF THE 
"RESULTING CHAOS" THAT ENSUED WHEN THE SOVIET UNION 
COLLAPSED AND MANY FACTORIES CHANGED OWNERSHIP.  THUS, WHILE 
THERE MAY BE "MISUNDERSTANDINGS" REGARDING THEIR STATUS, 
VIETNAM DENIES ANY OF ITS CITIZENS ARE IN RUSSIA ILLEGALLY. 
HUNG SAID THAT MANH HAD PRESSED PUTIN TO ENSURE THE SAFETY 
OF ALL VIETNAMESE LIVING IN RUSSIA.  HUNG SAID THAT THERE 
ARE SIMILAR QUESTIONS REGARDING VIETNAMESE LIVING IN 
BELARUS, BUT THE NUMBERS ARE MUCH SMALLER. 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        HANOI  02622  03 OF 04  301010Z 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
TERRORISM - WE CONDEMN IT, BUT STICK WITH THE UN 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
¶11.  (SBU)  MANH AND HIS HOSTS AGREED ON THE NEED TO 
ERADICATE TERRORISM.  HOWEVER, HUNG NOTED THAT THE LEADERS 
HAD ALSO EMPHASIZED THAT COUNTERTERRORISM ACTIVITIES SHOULD 
BE CARRIED OUT WITHIN A MULTILATERAL FRAMEWORK AND "WITHOUT 
INFRINGING ON THE SOVEREIGNTY OF INDIVIDUAL NATIONS."  AS 
EXEMPLIFIED IN THE JOINT COMMUNIQU WITH BELARUS, BOTH SIDES 
"PROTEST AGAINST THE ABUSE OF ANTI-TERRORISM TO INTERFERE 
INTO OTHER NATIONS' INTERNAL AFFAIRS." 
 
--------------------------------------- 
HUMAN RIGHTS - A POSSIBLE FUTURE ISSUE? 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶12.  (SBU)  WHILE THE ISSUE OF HUMAN RIGHTS DID NOT COME UP 
DURING THIS VISIT, DR. KHOAT SUGGESTED THAT IT COULD BE A 
FUTURE ISSUE WITH RUSSIA.  HE NOTED THAT "A FEW" DUMA 
MEMBERS HAVE CRITICIZED VIETNAM OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS FOR 
ITS RECORD ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACY.  THE CPV'S HUNG 
CONFIRMED SEPARATELY THAT THIS ISSUE DID NOT COME DURING THE 
VISIT.  HUNG STATED THAT SUCH A DISCUSSION WOULD BE 
"UNNATURAL" SINCE RUSSIA AND VIETNAM HAVE NO DISAGREEMENT 
OVER HUMAN RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACY.  HE OPINED THAT, IN ANY 
LARGE LEGISLATIVE BODY, THERE ARE BOUND TO BE A "WIDE 
VARIETY" OF OPINIONS.  HE DISCOUNTED THE VIEW THAT HUMAN 
RIGHTS WOULD EVER BE A BILATERAL ISSUE. 
 
------------------- 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        HANOI  02622  03 OF 04  301010Z 
DEFENSE COOPERATION 
------------------- 
 
¶13.  (SBU)  MILITARY-TO-MILITARY COOPERATION WAS NOT 
SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED IN THE JOINT COMMUNIQUS.  HOWEVER, 
TOKMAKOV SAID THAT, DURING THE VISIT, MANH REITERATED 
VIETNAM'S VIEW THAT MILITARY COOPERATION IS "IMPORTANT." 
TOKMAKOV NOTED THAT, WHILE VIETNAM CANNOT "AFFORD MUCH," ITS 
MILITARY STILL NEEDS BASIC EQUIPMENT AND SPARE PARTS THAT 
THE RUSSIANS CAN SUPPLY.  THE CPV'S HUNG SAID SEPARATELY 
THAT THE SUBJECT WAS "DISCUSSED ONLY VERY GENERALLY" DURING 
BOTH VISITS.  AN OCTOBER 7 GVN MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS 
PRESS ANNOUNCEMENT NOTED THAT VIETNAM AND BELARUS HAD AGREED 
TO COOPERATE, INTER ALIA, ON "DEFENSE TECHNOLOGY." 
 
¶14.  (SBU)  WHILE NOT FORMALLY PART OF THE MANH VISITS, 
SEPARATE VIETNAMESE MILITARY DELEGATIONS VISITED BOTH 
COUNTRIES AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME.  ACCORDING TO A VIETNAMESE 
PRESS REPORT, IN THE FIRST WEEK OF OCTOBER, A DELEGATION OF 
THE VIETNAM SEARCH-AND-RESCUE COMMISSION, HEADED BY ITS 
PERMANENT DEPUTY CHAIRMAN LIEUTENANT GENERAL NGUYEN HUY 
HIEU, HELD TALKS WITH HIS RUSSIAN COUNTERPARTS.  THE REPORT 
NOTED THAT RUSSIAN OFFICIALS HAD REAFFIRMED THEIR 
WILLINGNESS TO COOPERATE WITH VIETNAM IN "SEARCH AND RESCUE 
OPERATIONS, PERSONNEL TRAINING, AND EQUIPMENT SUPPLY."  ON 
OCTOBER 16, ANOTHER VIETNAMESE MILITARY DELEGATION, LED BY 
AIR DEFENSE COMMANDER NGUYEN PHAN THAN, ARRIVED IN BELARUS 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ7921 
 
PAGE 01        HANOI  02622  04 OF 04  301010Z 
ACTION EAP-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AGRE-00  AID-00   A-00     CA-01    CCO-00 
      CEA-01   CG-00    CIAE-00  COME-00  CTME-00  INL-00   DOEE-00 
      ITCE-00  DOTE-00  SRPP-00  DS-00    EB-00    EXME-00  EUR-00 
      E-00     FAAE-00  FBIE-00  UTED-00  VC-00    FRB-00   H-01 
      TEDE-00  INR-00   INSE-00  ITC-01   LAB-01   L-00     VCE-00 
      M-00     AC-01    NRCE-00  NSAE-00  OCS-03   OES-01   OMB-01 
      OPIC-01  PA-00    PM-00    PRS-00   ACE-00   P-00     SCT-00 
      SP-00    SSO-00   STR-00   TEST-00  TRSE-00  USIE-00  USSS-00 
      SA-00    ASDS-01  EPAE-00  PMB-00   DSCC-00  PRM-00   DRL-02 
      G-00     NFAT-00  SAS-00     /015W 
                  ------------------008397  301013Z /38 
R 300936Z OCT 02 
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 7965 
INFO AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY 
AMEMBASSY MINSK 
AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 
USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI 
NSC WASHDC 
SECDEF WASHDC//ISA/ACHAO// 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 04 OF 04 HANOI 002622 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV, EUR/RUS, EUR/UMB 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        HANOI  02622  04 OF 04  301010Z 
 
FOR TALKS ON MILITARY AND MILITARY-TECHNICAL COOPERATION, 
ACCORDING TO A RUSSIAN PRESS REPORT.  THE VIETNAMESE 
DELEGATION WAS SLATED TO VISIT SEVERAL BELARUS AIR FORCE 
INSTALLATIONS AS WELL AS OTHER MILITARY UNITS AND DEFENSE 
INDUSTRIES.  DR. KHOAT SAID THAT HE "DOUBTED THE VISITS WERE 
CONNECTED" BECAUSE THE GVN'S MINISTRY OF DEFENSE NORMALLY 
ARRANGES ITS VISITS INDEPENDENTLY.  TOKMAKOV SAID SEPARATELY 
THAT THE VIETNAMESE MILITARY'S WORKING VISIT TO RUSSIA 
AROUND THE SAME TIME AS MANH'S WAS A "COINCIDENCE" AND "THE 
MINISTRIES HAD PROBABLY WORKED IT OUT AMONG THEMSELVES A 
LONG TIME AGO." 
 
------------ 
WHAT'S NEXT? 
----------- 
 
¶15.  (U)  THE CPV'S HUNG SAID THAT HE EXPECTED HIGH LEVEL 
VISITS TO CONTINUE AT A STEADY PACE OVER THE FORESEEABLE 
FUTURE.  HE ADDED THAT SOME MEMBERS OF THE GVN LEADERSHIP 
MIGHT VISIT RUSSIA IN 2003, WHEN THERE WILL BE A CONGRESS 
FOR GRADUATES FROM RUSSIAN INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING. 
MANH INVITED BOTH PUTIN AND LUKASHENKO TO VISIT VIETNAM AND, 
ACCORDING TO HUNG AND PRESS REPORTS, THEY "HAPPILY 
ACCEPTED."  HOWEVER, NO DATES HAVE BEEN SET FOR THEIR 
VISITS. 
BURGHARDT 
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PAGE 03        HANOI  02622  04 OF 04  301010Z 
 
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