VZCZCXRO6471
RR RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHHI #0185/01 0610955
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 020955Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9232
INFO RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH 5637
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEHZS/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE
RHMFIUU/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 000185 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE for EAP/MLS, PM/PPA, PM/RSAT 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL KPKO MARR MASS VM
 
SUBJECT: Vietnam Supportive but Cautious on GPOI 
 
HANOI 00000185  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary: Meeting with Ministry of Defense and Foreign 
Affairs counterparts February 12, U.S. Pacific Command officials 
encouraged Vietnam to participate more actively in international 
peacekeeping operations through the GPOI program and reiterated the 
invitation for Vietnam to participate, not just observe, the 
upcoming Global Peace Operations (GPOI) exercise in Indonesia.  They 
also pushed Vietnam to develop a coherent country plan for engaging 
in PKO-related training and activities.  GVN officials expressed 
general support for GPOI, but asked the U.S. side to be patient, 
highlighting constitutional restrictions on deploying Vietnamese 
forces abroad as well as continuing deficiencies in manpower and 
English-language aptitude.  The MOD confirmed that it would send 
four officers to Garuda Shield, but declined a request to have one 
of them participate in the command staff exercise.  The GVN did, 
however, voice interest in training, conferences, and courses on 
international peacekeeping, and welcomed the upcoming March APCSS 
workshop as an opportunity to develop a country strategy for 
participating in international peacekeeping operations.  End 
summary. 
 
Legal Issues are the Primary Obstacle 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) The PACOM team, headed by Robert Sweeney and accompanied 
by DAO officers and Poloff, met February 12 with the Director 
General of the MFA's Americas Division, Nguyen Ba Hung, and senior 
officials from the MOD External Relations Department, including 
Senior Colonel Nguyen Dinh Huy.  In both meetings, Sweeney provided 
a detailed brief on GPOI, highlighting the international nature of 
the program and the fact that participation in GPOI does not 
necessarily obligate a country to provide peacekeeping forces.  The 
U.S. side commented that as a non-permanent member of the UN 
Security Council, Vietnam has an increased responsibility -- though 
not a legal obligation -- to assist with the Security Council's 
peacekeeping efforts.  The team noted that countries with much 
smaller militaries, such as Fiji and Tonga, are making substantive 
contributions to PKO. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) The Vietnamese side repeated earlier arguments that a lack 
of capability and experience precludes more active involvement in 
peacekeeping operations; however, when pushed Sr. Col. Huy agreed 
that experience could be gained relatively quickly with tailored 
training.  A lack of English language skills was a more serious 
problem, he said, but conceded that this was a hurdle that could 
also be overcome.  The main obstacles to Vietnam's participation in 
peacekeeping operation are constitutional prohibitions against 
deploying forces overseas, both he and the DG Hung insisted.  GVN 
officials emphasized that this was an issue that only the National 
Assembly could fully resolve, but said that the government would 
welcome increased cooperation short of actually deploying forces 
overseas.  Speaking frankly, Sr. Col Huy said that what an activity 
is called matters.  "Training" is always an easier sell than 
"exercises," he said. 
 
No Plan for International PKO . . . 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU) MOD officials admitted that the GVN does not have a 
coherent national plan for engaging in PKO-related activities, 
including GPOI.  While the MFA International Organizations 
Department has the policy lead, the MOD has no assigned unit or 
entity to deal with PKO.  Both MFA and MOD, however, expressed 
interest in PKO missions involving humanitarian assistance, 
logistics, transportation, medical programs, and demining.  They 
readily agreed that it would make sense to put this in the form of a 
national plan and would be keen to participate in an upcoming 
international peacekeeping workshop sponsored by the Asia Pacific 
Center for Security Studies (APCSS) to help the GVN develop its 
plans. 
 
. . . But Eager for More Training 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU) The MOD noted that it had already participated in training 
courses in Nepal and Bangladesh, and confirmed that Vietnam is 
committed to sending more soldiers to UNPKO courses such as the UN 
Staff Officer Course, Logistics Course, and Observer Course.  Noting 
their at-times cumbersome process for approving international 
cooperative activities, the officials requested that PACOM provide a 
yearly GPOI training schedule as soon in the year as possible.  With 
sufficient advance notice, Vietnam could even host in-country GPOI 
PKO seminars, workshops, or training events.  The PACOM team 
reviewed the schedule of upcoming GPOI events and emphasized that 
the United States welcomes Vietnam as a more active participant. 
 
Observers Only for GARUDA SHIELD 
 
HANOI 00000185  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (SBU) The PACOM team explained how GPOI is funded and stressed 
that Vietnam would be more competitive for GPOI's finite funds if it 
could demonstrate a firmer commitment to being a more active partner 
in GPOI training and exercises.  Reiterating past U.S. requests for 
active participation in the June 2009 GPOI CAPSTONE Exercise GARUDA 
SHIELD in Indonesia, the team made a specific pitch for an officer 
to participate as a staff officer, not as an observer, in the staff 
exercise portion of GARUDA SHIELD and for an officer to be a 
participant in the leadership cell of the field training portion of 
the event. 
 
¶7. (SBU) MOD responded that Vietnam is committed to sending four 
officers to GARUDA SHIELD as observers - one capable officer from 
its General Staff, one officer from its Special Forces, and two 
additional officers.  However, MOD does not yet have a capable 
officer to be part of the exercise at GARUDA SHIELD due to 
differences in language, training, and experience.  As a way to 
provide higher-level exposure the event, the PACOM team offered to 
fund a high-level visit by VM Military (General level) to visit the 
GARUDA SHIELD CAPSTONE event in Indonesia.  MOD officials agreed to 
pass the invitation to their superiors. 
 
MFA Advocates Increased IMET 
---------------------------- 
 
¶8.  (SBU) At the conclusion of the MFA meeting, DG Hung suggested 
that GPOI and IMET should go "hand in hand."  For Vietnam to be able 
to do more, Hung suggested, it must be better trained; and to be 
better trained, Vietnam needs more IMET.  DAO agreed that more 
training would be helpful, but noted that the more willing Vietnam 
is to participate actively, the better the case is for increased 
IMET funding. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶9.  (SBU) Despite the Prime Minister's commitment to GPOI last 
summer, the MOD has not yet demonstrated the commitment and planning 
required to participate in PKO training, exercises, and eventual 
deployment.  While political will apparently exists at the top, at 
least in principle, the MOD -- never the most nimble institution -- 
continues to struggle to shift its inward-looking military doctrine. 
 As one MOD official recently put it, "We don't do international 
cooperation on defense and security issues."  In this sense, 
constitutional prohibitions on the deployment of forces overseas 
reflect an attitude that is still pervasive in the military.  The 
MFA appears to be more open to cooperation and enjoys the backing of 
the Prime Minister, who has stated publicly that Vietnam will 
participate in peacekeeping-related activities.  This has made it 
more difficult for the MOD to sit on its hands.  The MOD 
increasingly appears to be finding itself in the position of having 
to participate in an effort it is still uncertain about or lose 
control of the planning process.  We will continue to push for more 
active participation. 
 
PALMER