VZCZCXRO7627
OO RUEHHM
DE RUEHHI #1417/01 3660718
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 310718Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8959
INFO RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH 5445
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RHHMUNA/USPACOM HONOLULU HI

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 001417 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR DOC AND DOD 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV ECON ETRD MARR VM
 
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH MOD EXTERNAL RELATIONS DEPARTMENT 
HEAD, LT GEN LAN 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY: Ambassador Michalak met with Director of the 
External Relations Department at the Ministry of Defense (MOD), 
Lieutenant General Pham Thanh Lan, December 18 to discuss MIAs (both 
U.S. and Vietnamese), U.S. support for demining activities, Agent 
Orange remediation activities, and disaster preparedness, and 
thanked the General for his assistance in obtaining final approval 
for the new DATT.  General Lan voiced enthusiasm for bilateral 
defense cooperation and agreed in principle to propose a visit by 
Vietnam's Minister of Defense to Washington, possibly in the third 
or fourth quarter of 2009.  The Ambassador expressed strong support 
for the U.S. company AAE's $9.8 million bid to win a MOD Satellite 
Communications Equipment tender.  END SUMMARY. 
 
A Possible MinDef Visit in Late 2009 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶2.  (SBU) The Ambassador and General Lan commented on the positive 
direction of the overall bilateral relationship, citing the number 
of high-level visits, including PM Dung's June visit to Washington 
and the recently concluded meetings in Hanoi of Senator Baucus. 
Defense ties are improving as well, with opportunities for 
cooperation in areas such as flight safety, search and rescue, 
disaster preparedness, and humanitarian and medical assistance. 
General Lan specifically mentioned the search for U.S. and 
Vietnamese MIAs as an area of robust cooperation.  The General 
commented on the number of Vietnamese military officers who have 
received training in the U.S. and noted that in 2009 there would be 
U.S. training courses in Vietnam. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) General Lan reacted positively to a suggestion that 
Minister of Defense Phung Quang Thanh consider visiting the United 
States, possibly in the third or fourth quarter of 2009.  The two 
sides agreed that with the U.S. Secretary of Defense continuing to 
serve under the new administration, it will be easier to build on 
the positive momentum, and that a meeting would be useful. 
 
A Rational Plan for Unexploded Ordinance 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Moving to an area that General Lan cited as a major 
positive aspect of the relationship, the Ambassador emphasized the 
need for an overall plan for dealing unexploded ordinance, noting 
that the lack of such a national plan put Vietnam at a comparative 
disadvantage when competing for U.S. funds, despite considerable 
support in Congress and within the Department of Defense.  In this 
vein, the Ambassador specifically asked for clarification regarding 
the roles of BOMISEN and VBMAC.  The General thanked the Ambassador 
for the frank assessment and agreed that Vietnam could do more to 
formulate a rational plan. 
 
Approval for the DATT 
--------------------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU) General Lan acknowledged the Ambassador's words of thanks 
for MOD's assistance in obtaining final approval for the U.S. 
Defense Attache to begin his tour of duty in Hanoi, noting that "it 
is our policy to set aside the past and look toward the future." 
 
Advocacy for U.S. Company AAE 
----------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (SBU) The Ambassador expressed strong support for the Sunnyvale 
California-based telecommunications company AAE in its $9.8 million 
bid to win a MOD Satellite Communications Equipment tender released 
in June 2008 and called the General's attention to an advocacy 
letter he had written on behalf of AAE to the Minister of Defense. 
He passed on to General Lan the original letter during this meeting. 
 The Ambassador noted that there have been a number of U.S. 
companies in the defense sector that have shown interest in the 
Vietnamese defense sector market and that AAE was well positioned to 
win the Satellite Communications Equipment Tender based on the 
company's technology, price, and proven commitment to the 
Vietnamese.  (Note: The advocacy request from AAE was vetted and 
approved through the U.S. Commercial Service's Advocacy center in 
Washington.  General Lan was identified by MOD staff as the most 
appropriate senior MOD leader to address the issue.  End note.) 
 
¶7.  (SBU) General Lan responded that he welcomed AAE's efforts to 
develop business in Vietnam, noting that his staff would be pleased 
to meet with AAE when they visit Hanoi for technical discussions in 
January.  The General voiced general willingness to work with U.S. 
companies and encouraged the Commercial Counselor at the U.S. 
Embassy to meet with the appropriate offices within the MOD, 
including the MOD's Office of Economics. 
 
 
HANOI 00001417  002 OF 002 
 
 
U.S. participants: 
 
Ambassador Michalak 
Commercial Counselor Donald Nay 
DATT Maj. Rizner 
Ms. Hoa Interpreter 
 
Vietnamese participants: 
 
Lt. General Lan 
SRCol. Huy 
Col. Vinh 
Lt. Tung Interpreter