US embassy cable - 04HANOI391

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 HANOI 000391 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR S/CT; INL/AAE, AND EAP/BCLTV 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER, PREL, ASEC, VM, G-8, CTERR 
SUBJECT:  COUNTERTERRORISM ACTION GROUP INPUT FOR VIETNAM 
 
REF:  STATE 14279 
 
1.  Summary: According to CTAG members (and representatives 
from Switzerland, Spain, and Australia) at Hanoi-based 
Embassies, Vietnam receives little attention and less 
assistance, especially compared to high-threat Southeast 
Asian countries such as Indonesia.  Some members -- notably 
Australia, France, and Japan -- provide some CT assistance 
within the framework of law enforcement cooperation. 
Duplication of effort is not a problem.  Vietnam's legal and 
investigative system is weak and requires capacity building 
in virtually all parts of the 
legislative/prosecutorial/judicial systems.  In border 
control and legal/law enforcement training, Vietnam 
continues to have substantial unmet needs.  End summary. 
 
CTAG DONOR CT-RELATED TRAINING AND ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
2. US:  The USG provides CT assistance to Vietnam primarily 
by funding Vietnamese participation in CT-related training 
at the International Law Enforcement Academy in Bangkok, and 
through military-to-military exchanges with an emphasis on 
CT themes.  The USG funds Vietnamese military participation 
in training courses and conferences on a case-by-case basis. 
In 2003, CT related events at which Sr. Colonel-level or 
above Vietnamese military representatives attended included: 
-- December 2003: Environment Security and Counterterrorism 
Conference, Manila; 
-- August 2003: Consequence Management - Terrorism Course, 
Guam; 
-- June 2003: Defense Environmental and International 
Cooperation Conference, Bangkok.  The primary subjects for 
this conference were disaster relief, environmental 
terrorism, and the medical aspects of environmental 
security. 
 
3.  US, continued:  On the civilian side, our 
counterterrorism-related assistance is mostly in the form of 
training Ministry of Public Security (MPS) and other 
civilian officials through ILEA in Bangkok.  Over the past 
year, the USG funded training for seven officers of 
Vietnam's aviation authority to attend an airport security 
course; seven MPS officers to attend a Post-Blast 
Investigation course; and five MPS officers to attend a 
Counterterrorism course.  Future Post-Blast Investigation 
and Counterterrorism courses are planned, and post will 
continue to identify GVN candidates for those courses.  In 
addition, post sends GVN students to ILEA's annual Complex 
Financial Investigations course, which is related to money 
laundering and terrorist financing. 
 
4.  United Kingdom:  The U.K. Embassy reported that, while 
the U.K. does not have any current CT-related programs or 
assistance directed at Vietnam, it is in the planning stages 
of a program that would train MPS officers in better border 
control techniques. 
 
5.  Canada:  According to the Canadian Embassy, Vietnam is 
not a priority country in terms of CT in Asia, and therefore 
Canada is not providing CT assistance to Vietnam. 
 
6.  Germany:  In September 2003, the German Federal Police 
had prepared a program for a high-level GVN delegation that 
was supposed to visit both Germany and France to review 
operations in CT-focused ministries, but the delegation 
returned to Vietnam without visiting Germany.  Germany's 
CTAG representative stated that it was possible that CT- 
related assistance would be included in a bilateral 
agreement on fighting crime currently under discussion 
between Vietnam and Germany and scheduled to be signed later 
in 2004; however, nothing specific was yet in the works. 
Counterterrorism is specifically mentioned as an area of 
cooperation in the draft agreement. 
 
7.  Russia:  Although MPS exchanges with Russian counterpart 
ministries have been a regular part of bilateral relations 
for decades, it is not known whether there is a CT component 
to these exchanges.  The Russian representative at the most 
recent CTAG meeting declined to discuss Russian assistance 
to Vietnam, if any. 
 
8.  France:  France has several CT-related assistance 
programs in Vietnam.  It has hosted MPS officers in France, 
and in November 2003 conducted a CT and money-laundering 
course for mid-level MPS officers in Hanoi.  In April 2003, 
France hosted a four-day CT/money laundering conference in 
Hanoi to which it invited all ASEAN countries with the 
exception of Brunei and Burma.  The focus of that conference 
was interagency cooperation and forensic methods of 
investigation.  France also carried out the above-mentioned 
study tour of CT-related ministries for "senior GVN 
officials" in September 2003, and intends to expand an 
annual course on police tactical intervention (including 
hostage rescue scenarios) to one month from its previous 
length of two weeks.  The month-long course will be designed 
to help MPS train its rapid reaction force. 
 
9.  Japan: Japan's CT assistance to Vietnam is primarily in 
the form of capacity building in the context of Japan's 
regional CT efforts, focusing on the areas of immigration 
control; police and law enforcement; aviation security; 
customs cooperation; export control; and measures to prevent 
terrorist financing.  Japan pays the expenses of Vietnamese 
attendees at its seminars and courses.  Specifically, Japan 
has provided assistance to the GVN in: 
-- immigration: training courses and seminars on immigration 
control administration; international cooperation on 
immigration; and document examination; 
-- aviation security: seminar to familiarize participants 
with aviation security methods practiced in other countries 
and ways to improve aviation security generally; 
-- customs cooperation: The Japanese Embassy representative 
reported that Japan has organized training courses in 
"specific areas where technical cooperation is necessary" in 
customs clearance and harmonization.  Some of this is 
commercial in nature, but the CT role of customs is a part 
of these courses.  Japan also conducts seminars on 
international customs information exchange, focusing on the 
collection and analysis of information for customs 
officials; 
-- export control: Japan held the 11th Asian Export Control 
Seminar in October 2003, which addressed topics including 
WMD proliferation; development of export control systems in 
Asia; and counterterrorism efforts.  Japan also included 
Vietnam in the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) 
course "Administration of Security Export Controls" in 2003; 
-- maritime law enforcement: JICA and the Japanese Coast 
Guard jointly held the course "Training Course on Maritime 
Law Enforcement" in 2003.  The course, which had GVN 
participants, focused on investigation of crimes at sea, 
piracy, narcotics trafficking, people smuggling, and arms 
trafficking.  Japan has also accepted Vietnamese students 
from "maritime security related agencies" for courses in 
"Prevention of Free Movement of Terrorists at Sea"; 
-- crisis management capacity building: JICA hosted a 
seminar to build the capacity of several Asian countries, 
including Vietnam, with a view to enhancing crisis and 
consequence management in case of a WMD attack.  The purpose 
was to provide the necessary knowledge to plan, develop, and 
coordinate a comprehensive policy on international CT 
cooperation and domestic CT measures; 
-- international CT conventions: Vietnam participated in 
Japan's October 2003 seminar on encouraging accession to CT- 
related international conventions; and, 
-- Vietnam also participated in the Japan-hosted "Southeast 
Asia Counterterrorism Conference" in December 2003. 
 
10.  Italy:  Italy is not engaged in bilateral assistance 
programs with Vietnam at this time. 
 
11.  Australia:  The Australian Embassy's CTAG 
representative reported that Australia's regional focus is 
primarily on capacity building for law enforcement 
cooperation and border and maritime security.  Though 
Vietnam is not Australia's highest CT priority among 
Southeast Asian countries, some programs are underway. 
Recent and on-going CT-related cooperation programs in 
Vietnam include: 
-- supporting border management: Australia is providing 
training and computer-based systems to aid entry-point 
document fraud assessment and customs procedures; 
-- secure trade:  Two AusAID programs are designed to 
strengthen CT capacity by (1) training the GVN to implement 
the International Maritime Organization port security 
measures, and (2) increasing awareness and capacity building 
in cyber-security for computer emergency response teams; 
and, 
-- military cooperation: Plans are in the works for 
Australian-Vietnamese cooperation in CT response through 
visits of Australian specialist military CT units. 
Australia has also sponsored Vietnamese delegates to attend 
relevant regional conferences relating to terrorism 
consequence management, terrorist financing, border 
security, and enhancing law enforcement cooperation and 
coordination. 
 
12.  Spain:  Spain is not engaged in bilateral assistance 
programs with Vietnam at this time. 
 
13.  Switzerland: Switzerland is not engaged in bilateral 
assistance programs with Vietnam at this time. 
 
14.  European Commission: The EC is not engaged in bilateral 
assistance programs with Vietnam at this time, but the EC is 
exploring terrorist financing assistance in the context of 
the ASEM/ADB Money Laundering Initiative. 
 
ASSESSMENTS CTAG MEMBERS HAVE CONDUCTED OF CT-RELATED NEEDS 
--------------------------------------------- -------------- 
 
15. CTAG members have not conducted evaluations or 
assessments of Vietnam's CT-related needs.  Members agree 
that this is necessary to effectively target assistance in 
the future. 
 
OVERLAPPING ASSISTANCE AND NECESSARY PROGRAMMATIC CHANGES 
--------------------------------------------- ------------ 
 
16. Donor assistance to Vietnam in the CT field is very 
small and mostly focused on facilitating the participation 
of relevant GVN officials in international training courses, 
seminars, and conferences.  CTAG members did not identify 
areas of overlapping assistance or necessary programmatic 
changes. 
 
AREAS OF HOST-COUNTRY NEED IN THE CT FIELD 
------------------------------------------ 
 
17.  The consensus among CTAG member countries is that 
Vietnam does not appear to have an indigenous terrorist 
problem, but rather is at risk from third-country nationals 
who might enter Vietnam with the intention of committing a 
terrorist act.  One focus, therefore, should be on document 
fraud and immigration control training, as well as equipment 
to facilitate safe entry and exit points, such as explosives 
detectors.  In addition, there is consensus that Vietnam's 
legal and investigative system is weak and requires capacity 
building in virtually all parts of the 
legislative/prosecutorial/judicial systems.  In border 
control and legal/law enforcement training, Vietnam 
continues to have substantial unmet needs despite some 
international assistance.  The GVN definitely has the 
ability to absorb and use training in these areas.  CTAG 
members also agree that a formal assessment of Vietnam's 
needs is necessary to create an effective assistance 
strategy. 
 
EFFORTS TO IMPLEMENT THE (ISPS) CODE BY JULY 1, 2004 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
18.  According to the Vietnam National Maritime Bureau 
(VNMB), the GVN has a plan in place to implement the 
International Maritime Organization's International Shipping 
and Port Facility (ISPS) code by the July 1 deadline. The 
VNMB is currently providing training for staff at ports and 
on ships with the assistance of the Australian Government. 
The VNMB notes, however, that the GVN faces financial 
difficulties in purchasing equipment, such as container 
screening machines, for port facilities in line with the 
ISPS code. 
BURGHARDT