VZCZCXRO4529
RR RUEHHM
DE RUEHHI #1624 2541714
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 111714Z SEP 07
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6323
INFO RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH 3674

UNCLAS HANOI 001624 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PHUM UNSC IR VM
SUBJECT: MFA OFFICIALS STICK TO NAM, UNSC BUSINESS DURING TRIP TO 
IRAN 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: According to an MFA official who was part of a 
three-person GVN delegation to the recent NAM meeting on human 
rights held in Tehran, the Vietnamese delegation focused on the NAM 
event. On the margins, the delegation also lobbied with other 
attendees on behalf of Vietnam's UN Security Council candidacy.  The 
GVN officials did not meet bilaterally with Iranian counterparts 
during the two-day visit.  End summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Deputy Foreign Minister Le Van Bang, whose portfolio 
includes international organizations and human rights issues, led 
the GVN delegation to the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Ministerial 
Meeting on Human Rights and Cultural Diversity held in Tehran on 
September 3-4.  Accompanying DFM Bang were MFA IO Department Deputy 
Director Dzuong Chi Dzung and IO Department Human Rights Section 
Expert Dang Tran Nam Trung.  According to Trung, the GVN 
delegation's contribution to the meeting consisted of an 
intervention by DFM Bang that stressed the importance of dialogue 
based on mutual respect as countries seek to narrow differences in 
the area of human rights.  He cited Vietnam's human rights dialogues 
with the United States, EU, Norway and Switzerland as examples of 
this approach. 
 
¶3. (SBU) DFM Bang's schedule while attending the NAM meeting did not 
include bilateral meetings with Iranian officials.  Apart from the 
plenary sessions, Trung said DFM Bang's only formal bilateral 
meeting was with the Cuban Foreign Minister, due to Cuba's role as 
the current head of the NAM.  On the margins of the human rights 
meeting, DFM Bang met with other heads of delegation to garner 
support for Vietnam's UN Security Council candidature.  Trung 
suggested that the meeting was a "unique opportunity" with more than 
90 countries represented, many at the ministerial level, and DFM 
Bang spent "a lot of time lobbying."  Feedback was positive, with 
appreciation for Vietnam's current role in the international arena 
and likely future contributions at the UN, noted Trung. 
 
MICHALAK