VZCZCXRO5163
RR RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHFK RUEHHM RUEHKSO RUEHNAG RUEHNH RUEHPB
DE RUEHHI #1292 3360902
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 020900Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0515
INFO ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE
ASIAN PACIFIC ECONOMIC COOPERATION
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 0001
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0045
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 0001
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0031
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0001
RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY 0221
RUEHKL/AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR 0032
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 0036
RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID 0007
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 0001
RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO 0001
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 0001
RUEHSM/AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM 0001
RUEHTC/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE 0004
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 0033
RUEHVB/AMEMBASSY ZAGREB 0001
RUEHVI/AMEMBASSY VIENNA 0001

UNCLAS AMEMBASSY HANOI 001292 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON ENRG EPET ETTC IR PREL VM
SUBJECT: PETROVIETNAM AND THE IRAN SANCTIONS ACT 
 
REF: STATE 121808 "IRAN SANCTIONS ACT: REPORTED INVESTMENT IN THE 
IRANIAN OIL AND GAS SECTOR" 
 
¶1. (SBU) Upon receipt of reftel regarding investment in the Iranian 
energy sector by foreign companies, including PetroVietnam, 
Ambassador on November 27 in a previously scheduled meeting 
delivered reftel points to Ms. Nguyet Nguyen Nga, MFA Director 
General of Multilateral Economic Cooperation.  Nga did not offer 
any immediate comment. 
 
 
 
¶2. (SBU) On December 1, Economic Counselor delivered reftel points 
to Mr. Hoang Ngoc Trung, Deputy General Manager of PetroVietnam's 
Legal and International Relations Division.  Trung stated that this 
was a "sensitive" issue, but noted that PetroVietnam appreciated 
the extensive cooperation with U.S. energy companies doing business 
in Vietnam.  He asked for a letter to PetroVietnam's President/CEO 
requesting the information about PetroVietnam's projects in Iran. 
Embassy sent a letter, and Trung confirmed receipt on Dec. 1.  He 
said PetroVietnam would respond as soon as possible. 
 
 
 
¶3. (SBU) On December 2, Economic Counselor delivered reftel points 
to Mr. Le Chi Dzung, MFA Deputy Director General of the Americas 
Department.  In response to his question, we confirmed that other 
countries and companies were receiving a similar request.  Mr. 
Dzung stated that the overall US-VN relationship is very good, and 
that issues should be addressed in a candid and constructive 
manner. He said that Vietnam was familiar with the Iran issue given 
its current membership on the U.N. Security Council.  He added that 
PetroVietnam would likely consult with MFA about a matter of 
international relations, especially concerning the U.S., but 
ultimately, he said, it is up to individual companies to decide how 
much information to share with the U.S. government. 
 
 
 
¶4. (SBU) Embassy will follow-up with PetroVietnam and MFA regarding 
the information requested reftel about PetroVietnam's investments 
in Iran's energy sector. 
 
 
 
MICHALAK 
Michalak