VZCZCXRO2278
RR RUEHHM
DE RUEHHI #1202/01 3111122
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 071121Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0412
INFO RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC
RUEHC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHINGTON DC
RUEHHI/AMEMBASSY HANOI
RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY 0170
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 HANOI 001202 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
SATE FOR EEB/ESC/IEC/ENR 
STATE ALSO FOR T(MHUMPHREY), ISN/NESS (ABURKART, PMCNERNEY), ISN/RA (RBEISECKER) AND EAP/MLS 
STATE PASS TO NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (KFOGGIE, JMCLELLAND-KERR, SBURNS) 
ENERGY FOR DOE/NE (EMCGINNIS, CWELLING), NNSA/NA-21 (SFRAZER, KAPT, DKOVACIC, SDICKERSON, IBOLSHINSKY, SMOSES, ABIENIAWSKI) 
STATE FOR OGAC (AMBASSADOR GOOSBY AND JHOLLOWAY) 
HHS/OSSI/DSI PASS TO HHS/OGHA (JMONAHAN/ACUMMINGS/MABDOO), NIH/FIC (RGLASS), SAMHSA, AND FDA (LVALDEZ) 
USAID FOR ANE (CJENNINGS, MWARD) AND GH (KYAMASHITA, KHILL) 
CDC FOR COGH (SBLOUT), CCID (MCOHEN), AND GAP (DBIRX, RJSIMONDS) 
USTR FOR DBISBEE 
FOR MLS/EAP MARC FORINO, ZEENAT SYED 
STATE PASS TO EPA/OIA (MKASMAN AND KBUCKLEY) AND TO EPA/ORD (KTEICHMAN) 
HHS/OSSI/DSI PASS TO OGHA/HHS (JMONAHAN AND ACCUMINGS) 
CDC FOR CGH (SBLOUT), NCEH (TSINKS), NIOSH (MSWEENEY), AND NCBDDD (CBOYLE) 
HHS/OSSI/DSI PASS TO FIC/NIH (RGLASS AND TCHUNG) AND NIEHS/NIH 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM TBIO EAGR ENRG SENV CVIS ASEAN VM
SUBJECT: OOG Minister Phuc and Ambassador Discuss Human Rights, 
Biotech, and Nuclear Cooperation 
 
REF: REF A: HANOI 873; REF B: HANOI 1084; REF C: HANOI 827 
REF D: HANOI 1124 
 
Sensitive but Unclassified.  Please handle accordingly. 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary.  The Ambassador expressed concern about the 
deteriorating human rights situation in an October 23 meeting with 
Minister Chairman of the Office of the Government (OOG) Phuc, but 
also noted positive areas of the bilateral relationship.  The 
Ambassador urged the GVN to remove mandatory biotech labeling 
requirements in pending draft legislation and quickly approve a 
Joint Statement on civil nuclear power.  Phuc gave no ground on 
human rights.  He said the National Assembly (NA) would consider 
the U.S. position on mandatory labeling.  The GVN would review the 
nuclear Joint Statement.  Phuc asked for GSP status, requested more 
assistance on Agent Orange, and expressed willingness to work with 
the U.S. during Vietnam's Chair of ASEAN.  Phuc agreed extending 
the validity of student visas was important and said he would 
discuss the issue with the MFA.  End Summary. 
 
¶2. (U) The Ambassador met October 23 with Nguyen Xuan Phuc, 
Minister Chairman of the GVN's Office of the Government to discuss 
bilateral issues. 
 
Human Rights and U.S. Mission Staffing 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) Noting his upcoming travel to Washington, the Ambassador 
said there was growing U.S. concern, including in the Congress, 
with GVN backsliding on human rights.  Vietnamese actions on human 
rights, including the Bat Nha pagoda (Ref A), convictions of 
political activists (Ref B), and Decree 97 (Ref C) contradicted 
senior GVN officials' statements desirous of improved bilateral 
relations.  The GVN's unwillingness to approve U.S. Mission 
staffing increases also was out of step.  At the same time, Deputy 
Prime Minister Khiem's recent U.S. visit had gone well and 
military, development assistance, and economic and trade ties were 
improving.  The Ambassador said this mixed picture would color his 
Washington discussions. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Phuc responded that bilateral relations were excellent and 
the GVN wanted to improve them further.  In November two Deputy 
Prime Ministers would visit the U.S. at the same time - a first. 
He encouraged a Secretary of State or Presidential visit in 2010. 
There was good cooperation on sensitive areas of defense and GVN 
administrative reforms and the GVN hoped for additional progress on 
trade, economic development, and tourism.  On human rights, Phuc 
replied in familiar terms.  Vietnam had its own specific 
circumstances and was moving on the road to human rights and 
democracy.  People enjoyed more economic freedom than ever before. 
The GVN had to maintain law and order and the U.S. Congress's 
recent passage of a Vietnam human rights resolution was 
"unfortunate."  Bat Nha was a dispute between two Buddhist groups 
that the two groups should settle.  Thousands of new pagodas were 
being built throughout the country.  Decree 97 was simply part of 
the implementation of a science and technology law passed by the NA 
and the GVN was reviewing the issue of which organizations would be 
affected by the Decree. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Phuc said he understood the need for additional U.S. 
Mission staffing as bilateral relations deepened.  MFA had been 
directed to respond soon to U.S. requests.  (Note:  We continue to 
press MFA and other agencies, including MPS, to resolve the issue 
following DPM Khiem's comment during his meeting with the Secretary 
that staffing "no longer would be a problem."  End note.) 
 
HANOI 00001202  002 OF 003 
 
 
Biotech Labeling Requirement 
---------------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) The Ambassador expressed concern about draft legislation 
pending before the NA that required mandatory labeling of products 
containing genetically modified organisms.  He reviewed the 
arguments contained in a recent letter he had sent to Phuc on this 
issue.  Biotech products were safe.  The legislation would 
negatively affect food and agricultural trade, raise costs for 
Vietnamese food processors, consumers, and government authorities. 
It would also harm Vietnam's nascent biotechnology program at a 
time when both global food requirements were rising and climate 
change could negatively affect crop production, including in 
Vietnam.  The Ambassador requested the GVN to remove the mandatory 
labeling requirement from the draft legislation. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Phuc responded that he agreed that a labeling requirement 
would increase costs for producers and consumers.  The GVN was 
listening closely to U.S. views and the NA's Science and Technology 
Committee was looking closely at the Ambassador's letter.  The GVN 
was committed to handling this issue consistent with international 
practice and its international commitments. 
 
Civil Nuclear Power Cooperation 
------------------------------- 
 
¶8. (SBU) The Ambassador reviewed current bilateral efforts on civil 
nuclear cooperation and urged the GVN to quickly review and approve 
the Joint Statement on Civil Nuclear Power and Security which was 
paired with the Nuclear Cooperation MOU.  The Ambassador welcomed 
the related news that Prime Minister Dung on October 21 (Ref D) had 
signed the decision document authorizing the GVN to move towards 
full conversion of the Dalat nuclear research reactor to low 
enriched uranium.  These steps would allow consideration of a 123 
nuclear agreement that would permit greater civil nuclear power 
cooperation.  Phuc responded that the GVN would review the Joint 
Statement positively.  He said that the PM's approval of the Dalat 
nuclear conversion showed Vietnam's serious commitment towards 
cooperation with the U.S. on nuclear non-proliferation.  The GVN 
wanted to work with the U.S. to develop its civil nuclear power 
sector. 
 
PEPFAR and Other Bilateral Issues 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶9. (SBU) The Ambassador also asked Phuc, given the multiple 
agencies involved in the GVN, to name an OOG contact point for 
cooperation on developing the PEPFAR 5-year Partnership Framework 
agreement.  Phuc replied that the GVN appreciated the PEPFAR effort 
and intended to work closely with the Embassy on the 5-year 
strategy.  He noted that the Ministry of Health (MOH) is the 
designated POC for the GVN related to HIV/AIDS, and the OOG has a 
small division related to the issue.  The Embassy should send a 
letter to the OOG if it wanted to change the current main POC from 
the MOH to OOG. 
 
¶10. (SBU) Phuc said that the two sides had discussed the Agent 
Orange (AO) problem in Danang since 2007 and the U.S. had allocated 
$3 million dollars but without result.  The Ministry of Defense 
said $40 million was required to solve the AO problem.  The GVN 
also wanted to work closely with the U.S. during its ASEAN 
Presidency in 2010.  It hoped the U.S. would provide GSP status and 
resolve the catfish issue in a manner favorable to Vietnam.  Phuc 
said the GVN continued to want to establish an agriculture Working 
Group under the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement talks. 
The GVN would also do its best to approve major U.S. company 
commercial deals, such as Boeing aircraft and AES's proposed power 
 
HANOI 00001202  003 OF 003 
 
 
project. 
 
¶11. (SBU) The Ambassador corrected Phuc's description of the status 
of AO cooperation, noting that $6 million has been obligated and 
remediation work was underway at Danang.  Progress has been made 
and additional funding might be forthcoming from the Ford 
Foundation.  In closing, the Ambassador asked for Phuc's 
cooperation on extension of student visa validity, currently set at 
one year because of Vienamese restrictions, to five or ten years. 
Phuc said he agreed that longer validity was important and would 
ask MFA to consider this issue. 
Palmer