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PP RUEHHM RUESLE
DE RUEHHI #1950/01 2131154
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
P 011154Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2929
INFO RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PRIORITY 0708
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL PRIORITY 2955
RUEHGP/AMEMBASSY SINGAPORE PRIORITY 2210
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 5542
RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY PRIORITY 1574
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 6738
RUEHGZ/AMCONSUL GUANGZHOU 0699
RUESLE/AMCONSUL SHANGHAI 0011
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 001950 
 
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E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/01/2016 
TAGS: EFIN CTERR ECON IO PREL KN VM
SUBJECT: VFM PHUNG RESPONDS TO CONCERNS ABOUT NORTH KOREAN 
BANKING IN VIETNAM 
 
REF: A. REF A) SECSTATE 105317 
 
     ¶B. REF B) HANOI 1594 
     ¶C. REF C) HANOI 1595 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Michael W. Marine, Reasons 1.4 (b/d) 
 
¶1. (S) Summary: In a July 19 meeting with Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs (MFA) Standing Vice Minister Le Cong Phung, Treasury 
Under Secretary Stuart Levey and the Ambassador raised U.S. 
concerns over North Korean interactions with two of 
Vietnam,s State-owned commercial banks.  Phung made clear 
that U.S. priorities were more important to Vietnam than 
North Korean concerns and that Vietnam will do all it can to 
ensure that no illicit activities take place within its 
banks.  At the end of the meeting, Phung confided that he has 
an early morning meeting with the State Bank of Vietnam on 
July 20 to discuss in greater detail how to ensure that this 
policy is carried out.  End Summary. 
 
Banking In Vietnam 
------------------ 
 
¶2. (S) Phung began the meeting by commending the progress of 
U.S.-Vietnam bilateral relations, which he characterized as 
&moving smoothly8 since then Prime Minister Phan Van 
Khai,s visit to the United States last June.  Under 
Secretary Levey agreed with this assessment and added that, 
 
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in light of the many upcoming exchanges, notably Treasury 
Secretary Paulson,s participation in the September APEC 
 
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Finance Minister,s Meeting and the President,s visit in 
November, the United States does not want North Korean 
banking activities in Vietnam to negatively affect this 
relationship.  For this reason, said Levey, we are asking 
Vietnam to take specific, concrete actions to ensure that 
North Korea,s Tanchon Commercial Bank,s accounts with 
Vietcombank and any other banks in Vietnam are frozen (ref 
A).  We also request, added Levey, that the GVN block the 
efforts of other North Korean banks seeking to establish 
financial relationships here and to ensure DPRK proliferators 
such as KOMID are unable to do business in Vietnam.  The 
United States is approaching Vietnam on this issue in the 
spirit of friendship, since trading with North Korean 
companies and banks that have such established links to 
illicit North Korean activity could be damaging to the 
reputation of Vietnam,s financial sector at a critical time 
in its development. He also said that it was not necessary 
for action to be taken publicly, but rather that this 
business be shut out of Vietnam and any relevant accounts or 
transactions frozen. 
 
 
Phung on North Korea 
-------------------- 
 
¶3. (S) Phung admitted that relations with North Korea have 
not been &good,8 and that the North Koreans have vocally 
criticized Vietnam,s highly successful &doi moi8 
(renovation) policy.  While Vietnam has a tradition of 
relations with North Korea, Phung emphasized that Vietnam 
attaches greater importance to relations with the United 
States.  Phung also stressed that Vietnam does not cooperate 
on any efforts to promote the proliferation of Weapons of 
Mass Destruction (WMD) or terrorism, and he expressed 
satisfaction with the quality of Vietnam,s counterterrorist 
cooperation activities with the United States. (Note: While 
Vietnam does cooperate on a basic level with some information 
sharing, they are not particularly engaged in 
counterterrorism.  End Note.)  Phung also emphasized that the 
Government of Vietnam (GVN) is very concerned about the 
missile tests of July 4 and expressed puzzlement as to North 
Korea,s thinking.  Phung promised Vietnam will be &very 
strict8 and will not tolerate &terrorist or WMD8 related 
activities in their banking system.  He assured the Under 
Secretary that the two Vietnamese banks &had been warned.8 
 
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¶4.  (S) The Ambassador also encouraged Phung to look closely 
at the language of UN Security Council Resolutions 1540 and 
1673, especially as they relate to financial transactions 
with North Korea.  Levey also highlighted that the new 
resolution on North Korea ) UNSCR 1695 ) further compelled 
states to ensure that no financial resources are transferred 
in support of DPRK WMD and missile programs.  Phung noted 
 
HANOI 00001950  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
that Vietnam always follows international regulations and 
will do the same here.  As the meeting was breaking up, Phung 
confided that he has an early morning meeting with the State 
Bank of Vietnam on July 20 to discuss this issue in greater 
detail. 
 
¶5.  (U) This message was cleared by Treasury staff. 
 
MARINE 
 
MARINE