VZCZCXRO8345
RR RUEHHM
DE RUEHHI #0297/01 0460650
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 150650Z FEB 07
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4632
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC
INFO RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH 2559

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 000297 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR ISN/NESS, EAP/K AND EAP/MLS 
DEPT OF ENERGY FOR NNSA/NA-21 (SARAH FRAZER, KEN APT, SARAH 
DICKERSON) 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: ENRG TRGY KIPR KNNP KGIT VM
SUBJECT: NATIONAL NUCLEAR SECURITY AGENCY DISCUSSES SISTER LAB 
COOPERATION WITH VIETNAM 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED.  PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY. 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: Vietnamese officials signaled a strong willingness 
to sign a cooperative arrangement with the United States on 
information exchange and cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear 
energy during the team visit of the National Nuclear Security 
Administration's (NNSA) Global Security and Engagement Program to 
Vietnam in January 22-26.  Government of Vietnam (GVN) officials 
told the NNSA team, led by Director Monte Mallin, that the GVN 
enthusiastically supports establishing bilateral sister laboratory 
cooperation.  On February 6, Director Mallin forwarded to Vice 
Minister of Science and Technology Tran Quoc Thang a draft 
arrangement, which has been positively received.  End Summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) During January 21-26, a six-person USG team led by NNSA's 
Global Security and Engagement Program Director Monte Mallin visited 
Hanoi and Dalat, Vietnam to discuss nuclear science issues, 
including the potential of a cooperative arrangement between the 
Department of Energy (DOE) and the Ministry of Science and 
Technology (MOST) on information exchange and cooperation in the 
peaceful uses of nuclear energy.  The visit had three objectives: 1) 
promote the establishment of a sister laboratory arrangement for 
peaceful nuclear cooperation between NNSA and MOST; 2) assess 
Vietnam's technical facilities and capabilities, primarily at the 
Nuclear Research 
Institute in Dalat, that would be involved in future collaborations, 
and 3) identify potential areas for cooperation.  The DOE/STATE team 
was warmly received by Vice Minister of Science and Technology Tran 
Quoc Thang as well as officials from the Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs, Vietnam Atomic Energy Commission (VAEC), the Vietnam Agency 
for Radiation and Nuclear Safety and Control (VARANSAC) and the 
Nuclear Research Institute (NRI) in Dalat.  The visit followed on 
preliminary meetings held in November, 2006 in Washington, DC that 
included senior officials from MOST, VARANSAC and the Office of 
Government. 
 
GVN Delighted to Sign Cooperative Agreement 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) DOE/NNSA assistance through a Sister Laboratory program was 
welcomed by all five organizations in conjunction with Vietnam's 
plans for civilian nuclear energy.  MOST Vice Minister Tran Quoc 
Thang indicated that the MOST is interested in signing the 
arrangement for cooperation and that he would create the "most 
favorable conditions" for new collaboration.  (COMMENT: An 
arrangement between MOST and DOE would allow NNSA to collaborate 
with both VAEC and VARANSAC, thereby enabling broad areas for 
collaboration.  However, initial efforts would focus on nuclear 
infrastructure issues and probably be undertaken with VAEC, which is 
the parent organization administering the NRI.  END COMMENT.)  VM 
Thang advised the group to focus initial cooperation on realistic, 
achievable goals and suggested that the details of collaboration be 
developed by technical experts from both sides. 
 
¶4. (SBU) During the meeting, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) 
representative Pham Van Thang expressed appreciation for the 
initiative and reiterated the GVN's desire to cooperate with the 
United States in civilian nuclear topics.  MOST views nuclear 
cooperation with the United States as particularly important for 
implementation of the National Strategy for the Peaceful Use of 
Nuclear Energy.  With the objective of achieving civilian nuclear 
power by 2020, the strategy comprises elements of nuclear energy 
technology, nuclear infrastructure and civilian applications.  Thang 
suggested three notional areas for sister laboratory assistance, 
namely radiation protection, low-level radioactive waste management 
and emergency planning. 
 
¶5. (SBU) During the meeting with VM Thang, the USG delegation gave 
an overview of the Sister Laboratory program and provided MOST and 
VAEC with a copy of a draft arrangement, with the request that 
suggestions for changes be communicated to NNSA.  In addition, the 
NNSA team promised to provide a short list of tentative topics for 
collaboration. 
 
VAEC OUTLINES POTENTIAL AREAS OF COLLABORATION 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶6. (SBU) At a separate meeting, the Vietnam Atomic Energy Commission 
(VAEC) Chairman Vuong Huu Tan warmly welcomed the opportunity to 
collaborate with U.S. National Laboratories.  Dr. Tan reiterated the 
GVN's strategy to support peaceful nuclear energy, including: 
building the nation's first nuclear power plant; increasing nuclear 
applications in socio-economic areas; and enhancing human resources 
needed for to achieve the national strategy.  VAEC officials 
outlined several areas for possible technical collaboration under a 
sister laboratory arrangement as follows: 
 
HANOI 00000297  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
      -- Emerging issues related to operating a mixed reactor core 
subsequent to the planned fuel conversion at NRI (under separate 
NNSA/NA-21 Russian Research Reactor Fuel Return program) and topics 
related to construction of a new research reactor; 
      -- Nuclear power plant development by 2020, including 
technology selection, safety standards, and human resources 
training; 
      -- Radioactive waste management, including radiological 
sources; 
      -- Environmental radiation monitoring, including regional 
network and environmental transport modeling; 
      -- Radiation protection and nuclear safety; and 
      -- Application of nuclear technology to health care and 
agriculture. 
 
The USG team provided an extensive review of the Sister Laboratory 
program.  Vietnamese counterparts were both inquisitive and 
supportive and they asked numerous questions regarding cooperation, 
such as the list of other countries involved in similar programs, 
mechanisms of cooperation, program size and funding, and 
relationship to IAEA technical cooperation. 
 
VAEC's Nuclear Research Institute in Dalat 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶7. (SBU) Subsequently, the USG team traveled to Dalat to assess the 
capabilities and interest of the Nuclear Research Institute (NRI) 
for future collaboration.  The team provided detailed information on 
the scope and mechanisms of sister laboratory collaboration as well 
as overviews of technical capabilities and programs of Lawrence 
Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and Oak Ridge National 
Laboratory (ORNL).  NRI staff provided a detailed briefing on NRI 
programs and capabilities and facilitated an extensive tour of the 
facility and laboratories.  (COMMENT: The USG teams assesses that 
NRI generally has a high level of technical competence, as evidenced 
by numerous successful endeavors such as radiopharmaceutical 
production and neutron activation analysis.  NRI has made extensive 
and effective use of IAEA technical cooperation projects.  END 
COMMENT.)  VAEC officials presented a comprehensive list of topics 
for possible collaboration, which included research reactor 
applications, neutron activation analysis, environmental 
surveillance, radiation protection and health physics and 
radioactive waste management. 
 
CONCLUSION 
---------- 
 
¶8. (SBU) While all topics raised by GVN interlocutors were of 
potential interest to DOE/NNSA, NNSA will propose initial topics 
that are within the scope of the sister laboratory program's 
resources and mission and that are best aligned with the overall 
objective of infrastructure improvement in anticipation of Vietnam's 
civilian nuclear power development.  The USG team's overall 
conclusion was that sister laboratory cooperation will mesh well 
with Vietnam's new strategy for nuclear energy.  The Vietnamese 
counterparts appeared eager to establish the partnership and begin 
collaboration.  Moreover, the USG team concluded that MOST and VAEC 
are both capable and responsive partners in a variety of potential 
nuclear infrastructure cooperation topics. 
 
¶9. (SBU) COMMENT: Vietnam is an emerging regional economic player 
with significant interests in developing a peaceful nuclear research 
program for power and socio-economic applications.  Mobilizing 
various governmental agencies and ministries to sign bilateral 
cooperative agreements requires both time and patience.  Post 
encourages DOE/NNSA to continue to pursue the sister laboratory 
cooperation.  This initial program has the potential to open a 
multitude of other possible initiatives, including technical 
assistance for developing Vietnam's nuclear regulatory framework, 
safeguarding of other nuclear materials, and developing the interest 
of U.S corporations to provide infrastructure for the planned second 
research reactor and first nuclear power facility.  Post stands 
ready to support DOE/NNSA as needed to ensure the GVN signs the 
draft sister laboratory cooperation agreement, which could be 
highlighted in the visit of President Nguyen Minh Triet to 
Washington planned this summer. 
 
¶10. (U) This cable has been cleared by DOE/NNSA. 
 
ALOISI