US embassy cable - 03HANOI2362

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 HANOI 002362 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR OES/EGC (CBRADY); OES/STC (BPERRY); EAP/BCLTV 
DEPT PASS EPA FOR OAP/GPD/CBB (SWICKWIRE) 
DEPT PASS DOE FOR OPIA (RBRADLEY) 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: ENRG, SENV, TH, MY, VM 
SUBJECT:  RESULTS OF USG CLIMATE CHANGE DELEGATION VISIT TO 
HANOI 
 
REF:  STATE 234320 
 
1.  SUMMARY:  On September 12, 2003, a delegation of U.S. 
government climate change and energy officials, led by Dr. 
Harlan Watson, Senior Climate Negotiator and Special 
Representative, OES, had a short but full schedule in 
Vietnam, including a variety of government meetings and 
public diplomacy events.  Meetings with Vietnamese 
government officials were productive and provided additional 
insights regarding strategies for addressing the climate 
change issue nationally and in the region.  Despite some 
criticism concerning the U.S. rejection of the Kyoto 
Protocol, the delegation was able to move the conversation 
beyond that difference of opinion in order to discuss 
positive initiatives of the U.S. government.  END SUMMARY 
 
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Government Meetings 
------------------- 
 
2.  Ministry of Science and Technology:  Dr. Watson and the 
climate team met with the Vice-Minister of the Ministry of 
Science and Technology (MOST) Dr. Bui Manh Hai.  Watson and 
Hai exchanged views and general information on national 
climate change priorities.  The Vice-Minister expressed 
interest in pursuing joint research and other potential 
cooperation opportunities with the US.  Watson emphasized 
the continuing US commitment to the UN Framework Convention 
on Climate Change (UNFCCC), outlined significant new US 
investments in climate science and technology, and 
underscored the importance that the US places on 
international cooperation in the area of climate change. 
With respect to US science initiatives, the Vice-Minister 
took particular interest in observation and monitoring.  In 
that context, he highlighted the beneficial ongoing 
cooperation between the US National Weather Service and the 
Vietnam Hydrometeorological Service in the fields of 
hydrometeorology and weather forecasting.  In addition, the 
Vice-Minister took note of the upcoming US-GOV Science and 
Technology Meeting (November 2003) and suggested that the 
subject of climate change be added to the agenda.  Dr. 
Watson agreed to consider the proposal, concurring that the 
S&T meeting might provide an opportune venue for further 
discussion of climate change issues and potential areas for 
collaboration. 
 
3.  Ministry of Industry:  The US team met with Mrs. Dang 
Phan Thu Huong, Deputy Director, International Cooperation 
Department, Ministry of Industry (MOI), as well as with two 
other representatives from MOI.  Mrs. Huong underscored the 
Vietnamese commitment to the Kyoto Protocol, but also 
expressed interest in finding other avenues to work together 
with the US in areas where our climate interests converge. 
Dr. Watson presented an overview of US climate policy, 
highlighting USG emissions reductions strategies and the GHG 
intensity approach.  The conversation and questions focused 
largely on a discussion of the US GHG intensity approach. 
Ms. Susan Wickwire, US Environmental Protection Agency 
(EPA), presented information on voluntary programs.  Dr. 
Rick Bradley, US Department of Energy (DOE), offered a brief 
summary of US technology initiatives, concentrating on US- 
led international efforts including carbon sequestration and 
hydrogen. 
 
4.  Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment:  Dr. 
Watson and the climate team engaged in a roundtable 
discussion with representatives of the Vietnamese Climate 
Change Interagency Working Group (including MONRE, Ministry 
of Foreign Affairs, National Centre for Natural Sciences and 
Technology, and the Hanoi University of Technology).  The 
talks were lively and productive, giving both sides a chance 
to present and debate certain aspects of their national 
climate positions.  In his opening presentation, Dr. Watson 
provided the group with background on US national 
circumstances (from demographics to our energy profile) and 
explained President Bush's climate policy.  In particular, 
Watson emphasized the US commitment to the UN Framework 
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), outlined our GHG 
intensity approach, and underscored our efforts to advance 
the science and technology of climate change - including 
significant investments in major S&T and R&D initiatives. 
Ms. Wickwire, EPA, presented information on voluntary 
programs designed to encourage private sector efforts to 
reduce GHG emissions.  Dr. Bradley, DOE, outlined USG long- 
term climate initiatives with a focus on technology and R&D 
activities.  He placed particular emphasis on USG efforts in 
the areas of hydrogen and carbon sequestration.  The GOV 
queried the USG at length with respect to the GHG intensity 
approach and its connection to Kyoto Protocol targets and 
absolute GHG emissions reductions.  Following a healthy 
debate and elaboration of US national circumstances, 
participants agreed that the dialogue had been constructive 
and that continued bilateral engagement and promotion of 
international cooperation would be a key aspect of 
ultimately resolving the global climate change problem. 
 
5.  The climate team also called on MONRE Vice-Minister Dr. 
Nguyen Cong Thanh.  The Vice-Minister underscored Vietnam's 
interest in climate change and welcomed the USG's effort to 
exchange information.  He considered Vietnam vulnerable to 
climate change and expressly encouraged the advancement of 
all joint US-GOV work on both mitigation and adaptation. 
The USG welcomed recent efforts within the UNFCCC to 
increase the focus on adaptation.  Both sides agreed that it 
was important to continue to exchange information as well as 
to increase international attention to adaptation issues. 
Watson highlighted the importance of finding ways to cope 
with climate change that would allow for economic growth, 
especially in developing countries.  In particular, he 
discussed the USG emphasis on advancing the science and 
technology of climate change.  Watson suggested that an 
increased focus on technology be incorporated into the 
UNFCCC process.  He highlighted the importance of going 
beyond short-term approaches to think ahead about longer- 
term efforts to resolve climate change.  Dr. Bradley, DOE, 
provided the Vice-Minister with a very brief explanation of 
major US technology initiatives, including US interest in 
promoting long-term international cooperation in the areas 
of sequestration and hydrogen.  Ms. Wickwire, EPA, explained 
the US voluntary program approach as trying to harness the 
power of the marketplace to achieve environmental 
objectives, including the reduction of GHG emissions. 
 
----------------------- 
Public Diplomacy Events 
----------------------- 
 
6.  The Embassy Public Affairs Office convened a press event 
for 13 media representatives from local and wire services, 
including Reuters-Hanoi.  Some of the questions were off- 
topic, including a question concerning Agent Orange, but the 
majority of the discussion focused on issues such as (i) 
determining the U.S. climate mission's purpose, including 
whether the U.S. was trying to convince Southeast Asia of an 
alternative path to the Kyoto Protocol, (ii) a discussion of 
the GHG intensity approach vs. the Kyoto Protocol approach, 
and (iii) a number of questions about U.S. initiatives and 
programs.  Once again, we found that there was little 
accurate information about U.S. climate policies and that 
this event was a good first step in explaining to Southeast 
Asian audiences the robust series of U.S. climate programs. 
 
7.  Public Affairs Officer Tom Carmichael hosted a reception 
at his home for key players in the Vietnam climate 
community.  The reception was well-attended by a good cross- 
section of government and NGO representatives, providing a 
valuable opportunity to further communicate President Bush's 
climate policy message and allowing the U.S. technical 
experts an additional opportunity to talk more in-depth 
about their program activity with their Vietnamese 
interlocutors. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
EPA's Side Meetings ON Energy Efficiency Projects 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
8.  EPA official Susan Wickwire met her counterparts at the 
Vietnam Energy Conservation Program (VECP) and the Vietnam 
Cleaner Production Center (VCPC) to discuss potential follow- 
on activities to the successful joint EPA-Vietnam 
Climate/Ozone Office workshop held in September 2002 to 
promote energy efficiency (EE) and ozone protection.  One 
promising project would address improving the efficiency of 
coal-fired boilers in textile plants.  VECP is affiliated 
with the Ministry of Science and Technology and is 
responsible for overseeing a Global Environment Facility 
(GEF) project that relates to small and medium enterprises. 
The textile sector has been identified as one of the primary 
targets for EE improvements under the project.  VCPC has 
worked with the textile sector through an ongoing UNEP- 
funded program.  Discussions with both organizations yielded 
new insights into the priorities of textile manufacturers 
(primarily VINATEX, the state-owned major player) and into 
the ways in which similar projects have been implemented in 
Vietnam.  Next steps will include follow-up communications 
to determine whether there is a clear basis for cooperation 
with VECP and to a lesser extent, VCPC.  EPA will work 
closely with the Embassy, USAEP, and officials at the 
Climate/Ozone office (Ministry of Natural Resources and 
Environment) to ensure that activities are coordinated with 
other environmental projects in Vietnam. 
 
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Conclusion 
---------- 
 
9.  As the last leg of a three-country Southeast Asian tour 
(including earlier visits to Thailand and Malaysia), the 
discussions held in Vietnam concluded a regional outreach 
effort by the climate delegation.  The extremely positive 
dialogue, the level of interest, and the overall 
constructive engagement experienced in each of the three 
countries confirmed the importance of expanding U.S. 
outreach efforts on climate to the broader developing 
country community.  As part of a multi-track approach the 
U.S. has been working to establish formal bilateral climate 
partnerships with 14 priority countries, including both 
developed and developing countries, which together with the 
U.S. represent 75% of current GHG emissions.  However, in 
addition to a focus on these priority partnerships, the U.S. 
has become increasingly cognizant of the need to expand its 
efforts to get the President's climate policy message out to 
all countries.  There is clearly a continuing public 
diplomacy need to explain that the U.S. is committed to a 
robust series of programs and a serious climate policy, 
outside the context of the Kyoto Protocol.  Given the 
President's direction on long-term climate policy objectives 
and investments, this visit to SE Asia served to confirm the 
importance of working proactively to expand the policy 
dialogue to countries with growing emissions, especially to 
those who either can or potentially could play an important 
role in future multilateral negotiations. 
BURGHARDT