US embassy cable - 04HANOI447

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 HANOI 000447 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV, EAP/RSP, INL/AAE, PM/WRA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, MARR, MASS, PTER, SNAR, KHDP, KPOW, KWMN, KCRM, VM, ASEAN, CTERR, CNARC, TIP 
SUBJECT: ADMIRAL FARGO FOCUSES ON AREAS OF CONTINUED AND 
FUTURE COOPERATION WITH VIETNAM MINISTRY OF DEFENSE 
 
 
1. SUMMARY. COMMANDER, UNITED STATES PACIFIC COMMAND (PACOM) 
WAS HOSTED BY THE MINISTRY OF DEFENSE (MOD) FROM 08-11 FEBRUARY 
2004.  SENIOR MOD OFFICIALS CHARACTERIZED THE ADMIRAL'S VISIT AS 
"VERY SUCCESSFUL."  IT WAS MARKED BY LESS CAUTION AND MORE 
WILLINGNESS TO COOPERATE THAN HAS BEEN EXPERIENCED IN PREVIOUS 
SENIOR DOD VISITS TO VIETNAM, INCLUDING THAT OF THE LAST 
COMMANDER, PACIFIC COMMAND VISIT TO VIETNAM IN 2002. 
ADDITIONALLY, IN AN HISTORIC TRIP TO DANANG NAVAL BASE, THE PACOM 
COMMANDER VISITED COMMANDER THIRD NAVAL REGION AND TOURED TWO OF 
THE NAVAL REGION'S SHIPS  HIS WAS POINTED OUT AS "THE FIRST 
TIME A U.S. MILITARY OFFICER HAS EVER VISITED A VIETNAMESE NAVAL 
SHIP." 
 
2. VIETNAM'S DEFENSE LEADERSHIP AGREED TO PURSUE COOPERATION IN 
COUNTERNARCOTICS AND COUNTERTERRORISM, AND TO CONTINUE 
COOPERATION IN HUMANITARIAN DEMINING AND UNEXPLODED ORDNANCE 
(UXO) REMOVAL AND POW/MIA RECOVERY.  ADDITIONALLY, VIETNAM'S 
DEFENSE LEADERSHIP AGREED TO CONTINUE SUPPORT FOR USN SHIP VISITS 
TO VIETNAM.  THE VICE MINISTER OF DEFENSE AND CHIEF OF GENERAL 
STAFF STATED THAT HE INTENDED TO ATTEND THIS YEAR'S PACOM- 
SPONSORED CHIEFS OF DEFENSE (CHOD) CONFERENCE TO BE HELD IN JAPAN 
- TO BE A FIRST FOR VIETNAM AT A CHOD CONFERENCE.  VIETNAM 
WELCOMED ASSISTANCE IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE TRAINING, CITING THIS AS 
THE AREA THAT MOST INHIBITS THE VIETNAMESE MILITARY FROM FULLER 
PARTICIPATION IN REGIONAL DEFENSE ACTIVITIES.  HE NOTED, HOWEVER, 
THAT AGREEING TO THE TERMS OF THE INTERNATIONAL MILITARY 
EDUCATION AND TRAINING (IMET) AGREEMENT WILL TAKE MUCH LONGER. 
FINALLY, THE PACOM COMMANDER OBSERVED THAT VIETNAM HAS EXPERTISE 
TO OFFER WORLDWIDE PEACEKEEPING EFFORTS AND THAT VIETNAM WOULD BE 
A WELCOME PARTICIPANT IN ONGOING OPERATIONS IN IRAQ AND 
THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. 
 
MEETINGS 
--------------------------------------------- -------------------- 
 
3. LIEUTENANT GENERAL NGUYEN DUC ((SOAT)), DEPUTY CHIEF OF 
GENERAL STAFF, WAS THE HOST FOR ADMIRAL THOMAS ((FARGO)). ADM 
FARGO'S ITINERARY INCLUDED A VISIT TO THE NATIONAL DEFENSE 
ACADEMY AND CALLS WITH VICE MINISTER OF DEFENSE AND CHIEF OF 
GENERAL STAFF, COLONEL GENERAL PHUNG QUANG ((THANH)); COMMANDER, 
SEVENTH MILITARY REGION, LIEUTENANT GENERAL NGUYEN VAN ((CHIA)); 
AND 94 YEAR-OLD, SENIOR GENERAL VO NGUYEN GIAP.  AT THE DANANG 
NAVAL BASE, ADM FARGO WAS HOSTED BY SENIOR CAPTAIN PHAM NGOC 
((MINH)), COMMANDER, THIRD NAVAL REGION IN AN HISTORIC VISIT 
MARKED BY THE FIRST TOUR OF VIETNAMESE NAVY VESSELS BY AN 
AMERICAN MILITARY OFFICER. 
 
4. THE VISIT BEGAN WITH THE NATIONAL DEFENSE ACADEMY IN HANOI. 
LIEUTENANT GENERAL NGUYEN THE ((TRI)), DIRECTOR, NATIONAL DEFENSE 
ACADEMY, WELCOMED AND PRESENTED A SHORT BRIEFING OF THE ACADEMY. 
ADM FARGO DELIVERED A SPEECH TO THE 20 FACULTY AND STAFF IN 
ATTENDANCE HIGHLIGHTING THE NEED FOR MULTILATERAL SOLUTIONS TO 
TRANSNATIONAL PROBLEMS AFFECTING SOUTHEAST ASIA AND THE ASIA- 
PACIFIC REGION, LIKE TERRORISM, NARCOTICS, THE PROLIFERATION AND 
SHIPMENT OF WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION, THE TRAFFICKING OF WOMEN 
AND CHILDREN, AND PIRACY. 
 
5. GENERAL SOAT, SERVING AS HOST FOR THE VISIT, WELCOMED ADM 
FARGO AND HIGHLIGHTED THAT THE VISIT BY DEFENSE MINISTER ((TRA)) 
TO THE U.S. AND THE SHIP VISIT TO HO CHI MINH CITY BY THE USS 
VANDEGRIFT WERE IMPORTANT MILESTONES IN THE US  IETNAM DEFENSE 
RELATIONSHIP. SOAT ALSO NOTED THAT THE GOVERNMENT OF VIETNAM WILL 
INVITE THE CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF, GENERAL 
((MYERS)) TO VISIT VIETNAM THIS YEAR.  IN ADDITION, SOAT 
CONTINUED, WE WELCOME SHIP VISITS AND CONTINUED COOPERATION IN 
DEMINING AND THE REMOVAL OF UXO.  HOWEVER, HE SAID, VIETNAM NEEDS 
"BETTER TECHNOLOGY IN DEMINING." 
 
6. ADM FARGO RAISED THE IDEA TO BEGIN COOPERATION IN 
COUNTERNARCOTICS.  THIS IS A GROWING PROBLEM IN SOUTHEAST ASIA 
AND VIETNAM, FARGO NOTED, AND AN AREA IN WHICH PACOM HAS SOME 
EXPERTISE AND CAN ASSIST.  IN FACT, FARGO EXPLAINED, THE JOINT 
INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE  EST (JIATF-WEST) IS AN AGENCY PACOM HAS 
USED IN OTHER COUNTRIES IN THE REGION, MOST NOTABLY THAILAND, AND 
THEY ARE VERY EFFECTIVE IN IMPROVING THE POLICE AND MILITARY'S 
CAPABILITIES IN FIGHTING THIS PROBLEM.  SOAT NOTED THAT VIETNAM 
COOPERATES WITH OTHER COUNTRIES IN THIS AREA AND WELCOMED 
PURSUING WAYS TO COOPERATE WITH THE U.S. 
 
7. COMMENTING ON THE AGENT ORANGE ISSUE, SOAT NOTED THAT U.S. 
VIETNAM COOPERATION WAS AGREED TO DURING THE VISIT BY THEN- 
SECRETARY OF DEFENSE ((COHEN)) TO VIETNAM IN 2000 AND DURING THE 
 
SIPDIS 
VISIT BY DEFENSE MINISTER TRA TO SECRETARY ((RUMSFELD)).  SEVERAL 
DAYS BEFORE ADM FARGO'S VISIT, SOAT STATED, MOD PRESENTED TO THE 
DAO IN HANOI A PLAN TO COOPERATE IN THE REMEDIATION OF DIOXINS AT 
FOUR SITES: BIEN HOA, DANANG AND PHU CAT AIRFIELDS AND CUU MONG 
PASS. SOAT STRESSED THAT VIETNAM HOPED FOR COOPERATION WITH THE 
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.  ADM FARGO STATED WE WOULD LOOK AT 
THIS PLAN. 
 
8.  ADM FARGO NOTED THAT VIETNAM IS RECOGNIZED FOR ITS CAPABILITY 
IN CERTAIN AREAS AND COULD MAKE SOME SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO 
THE INTERNATIONAL EFFORT IN PEACEKEEPING.  SOAT DID NOT DIRECTLY 
RESPOND, BUT DID NOT BACK AWAY OR REJECT THE PROPOSAL OF 
VIETNAM'S PARTICIPATION IN THIS AREA. 
 
9. IN THE AREA OF POW/MIA RECOVERY, SOAT QUICKLY NOTED THAT THIS 
IS CONSIDERED A HUMANITARIAN EFFORT THAT WILL CONTINUE TO BE 
SUPPORTED BY VIETNAM.  HE NOTED THAT, RECOVERIES ARE NOW IN MORE 
REMOTE AREAS, AND THIS WILL REQUIRE MORE FUNDING.  SOAT 
ADDITIONALLY NOTED THAT VIETNAM'S MISSING ARE IN EXCESS OF 
300,000 AND REQUESTED ASSISTANCE IN INFORMATION THAT COULD LEAD 
TO THE RECOVERY OF THESE REMAINS.  ADM FARGO NOTED THAT THE US 
WILL ASSIST VIETNAM IN THIS AREA. 
 
10. ADDITIONALLY, FARGO STRESSED, THE USG NEEDS VIETNAMESE 
ASSISTANCE IN ARCHIVAL RESEARCH AND BILATERAL EFFORTS TO RECOVER 
UNDERWATER REMAINS OF AMERICAN MIA'S.  REFERRING TO UNDERWATER 
RECOVERIES, ADM FARGO PRESENTED SOAT WITH A PHOTO OF THE TYPE OF 
SALVAGE SHIP THAT PACOM IS PROPOSING TO USE IN THE JOINT RECOVERY 
OF US REMAINS UNDERWATER.  ADDITIONALLY, FARGO RECOMMENDED THAT 
THERE BE A BILATERAL WORKING GROUP ESTABLISHED TO SPECIFICALLY 
LOOK AT WAYS TO JOINTLY ADDRESS THIS IMPORTANT EFFORT.  FARGO 
PROPOSED SENDING VIETNAMESE EXPERTS TO PACOM TO INSPECT THE US 
SALVAGE SHIP AND TRAIN WITH US SALVAGE EXPERTS, FOLLOWED BY 
CONDUCTING A JOINT US/VIETNAM SALVAGE RECOVERY WITH BOTH 
VIETNAMESE AND US NAVY SALVAGE SHIPS.  SOAT INITIALLY RESPONDED 
THAT, "AS YOU KNOW, THE EAST SEA (I.E. SOUTH CHINA SEA) IS A 
VERY SENSITIVE AREA." HE ALSO REITERATED THAT IF THE VIETNAMESE 
SHIP IS NOT CAPABLE, THE US CAN PROVIDE TECHNICAL IMPROVEMENTS 
FOR THE VIETNAMESE SHIP. HE MADE CLEAR THAT THE NEXT STEP SHOULD 
BE A VIETNAMESE SHIP, POSSIBLY AUGMENTED WITH US EQUIPMENT, 
SEARCHING FOR UNDERWATER REMAINS.  THIS TOPIC WAS CLOSED BY BOTH 
SOAT AND FARGO AGREEING TO FORM A BILATERAL WORKING GROUP OF 
EXPERTS TO LOOK AT UNDERWATER RECOVERY COOPERATION. 
 
11. COLONEL GENERAL PHUNG QUANG THANH WAS THE MOST SENIOR DEFENSE 
OFFICIAL VISITED.  (COMMENT: MOD PROVIDED AN ITINERARY THAT 
INCLUDED A CALL WITH DEFENSE MINISTER SENIOR GENERAL PHAM VAN 
TRA.  UNFORTUNATELY, HE WAS NOT AVAILABLE ON THE DAY OF THE CALL 
AFTER THE PRIME MINISTER SUDDENLY DEPLOYED MEMBERS OF THE CABINET 
THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY TO MONITOR THE NATIONAL RESPONSE TO AVIAN 
FLU.) GENERAL THANH HIGHLIGHTED FOR ADM FARGO THAT THE U.S.- 
VIETNAMESE DEFENSE RELATIONSHIP HAD IMPROVED GREATLY IN 2003 WITH 
THE VISIT TO THE U.S. BY DEFENSE MINISTER PHAM VAN TRA AND THE 
VISIT TO VIETNAM BY THE USS VANDEGRIFT.  THANH ADDED, "I HOPE WE 
WILL WORK TOGETHER TO COOPERATE TO BUILD" THE RELATIONSHIP 
FURTHER. 
 
12. IMET.  IN DISCUSSING THE INTERNATIONAL MILITARY EDUCATION AND 
TRAINING (IMET) PROGRAM, ADM FARGO INDICATED THAT VIETNAM MUST 
SIGN THE THIRD PARTY TRANSFER AGREEMENT, REFERRED TO AS THE 505 
AGREEMENT OF THE FOREIGN ASSISTANCE ACT, BEFORE IT IS ELIGIBLE TO 
PARTICIPATE IN IMET-RELATED TRAINING.  THANH COMMENTED THE IMET 
AGREEMENT WILL TAKE MUCH MORE TIME TO APPROVE, BUT STRESSED THAT 
ENGLISH TRAINING WITHOUT IMET IS VERY WELCOMED.  GENERAL THANH 
COMMENTED THAT AUSTRALIA AND INDIA PROVIDE ENGLISH TRAINING, BUT 
THIS REMAINS THE AREA THAT MOST INHIBITS VIETNAM'S MILITARY FROM 
FULLER PARTICIPATION IN REGIONAL DEFENSE ACTIVITIES.  ADM FARGO 
NOTED THAT THIS IS AN AREA WE CAN COOPERATE IN ASSURED GENERAL 
THANH THAT PACOM WILL LOOK INTO DEVELOPING AND ENGLISH TRAINING 
PROGRAM THAT CAN TRAIN 30-35 STUDENTS ANNUALLY.  THANH WAS VERY 
SUPPORTIVE OF THIS INITIATIVE. 
 
13.  COUNTERTERRORISM AND COUNTERNARCOTICS COOPERATION.  ADM 
FARGO OBSERVED THAT THE U.S. PACIFIC COMMAND AND VIETNAM SHOULD 
BEGIN COOPERATION IN COUNTERTERRORISM AND COUNTERNARCOTICS. 
GENERAL THANH NOTED THAT BOTH OF THESE AREAS WERE NOT UNDER THE 
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY OF THE MOD, BUT RATHER UNDER THE MINISTRY 
OF PUBLIC SECURITY (MPS).  THANH WELCOMED COOPERATION IN 
COUNTERTERRORISM.  HE INDICATED THAT VIETNAM WAS ON HIGH ALERT 
FOR TERRORISTS, BUT "SINCE VIETNAM HAS LITTLE EXPERIENCE IN THIS 
AREA," ASSISTANCE WOULD BE APPRECIATED. 
 
14.  THANH STATED THAT FOR COUNTERNARCOTICS WORK, MOD USES THE 
BORDER GUARD FORCES, WHO HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TO WORK WITH MPS TO 
FIGHT THIS PROBLEM.  ADM FARGO INDICATED THAT PACOM CAN DEPLOY 
THE JOINT INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE  EST (JIATF-WEST) TO WORK WITH 
VIETNAMESE MILITARY AND POLICE IN FIGHTING THE PROLIFERATION OF 
NARCOTICS.  THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS WORKED VERY WELL IN OTHER 
SOUTHEAST ASIA COUNTRIES LIKE THAILAND AND "I THINK WILL ALSO 
WORK WELL IN VIETNAM," ADM FARGO NOTED.  THANH COMMENTED AGAIN 
THAT THIS WAS AN AREA THAT WAS PRIMARILY UNDER THE 
RESPONSIBILITY` OF MPS. 
 
15.  LIEUTENANT GENERAL CHIA.  GENERAL CHIA WARMLY GREETED ADM 
FARGO, HIGHLIGHTING THE IMPORTANCE OF THE VISIT TO THE US BY 
DEFENSE MINISTER TRA AND THE US NAVY SHIP VISIT TO HO CHI MINH 
CITY.  CHIA RECALLED THAT DEFENSE MINISTER TRA AND SECRETARY 
RUMSFELD SPOKE OF CONTINUED SUPPORT IN THE POW/MIA EFFORT AND IN 
THE DEMINING/UXO REMOVAL PROGRAM.  CHIA LAMENTED THAT TO DATE, 
USG ASSISTANCE IN HUMANITARIAN DEMINING/UXO REMOVAL HAD BEEN 
LIMITED TO THE CENTRAL PROVINCES OF QUANG BINH AND THUA THIEN HUE 
AND HOPED THAT THIS PROGRAM CAN ADDRESS A SERIOUS UXO PROBLEM IN 
THE SOUTH.  IT WAS NOTED BY AMBASSADOR THAT IT WAS, IN FACT NOT 
THE DECISION OF USG TO LIMIT THE DEMINING/UXO REMOVAL PROGRAM, 
BUT RATHER THE VIETNAM NATIONAL GOVERNMENT.  CHIA CONTINUED THAT 
THE LOCATIONS OF FORMER US MILITARY BASES WERE STILL VERY 
CONTAMINATED WITH UXO AND THIS WAS LIMITING COMMERCIAL AND 
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.  CHIA STRESSED THAT, IN ADDITION TO THE 
PROGRAMS ALREADY UNDERWAY; THERE SHOULD BE EXCHANGES OF MID AND 
JUNIOR-LEVEL OFFICERS AS A WAY TO BETTER DEVELOP THE DEFENSE 
RELATIONSHIP.  ADM FARGO NOTED THAT WE CAN SHARE OUR BEST 
PRACTICES IN DEMINING. 
 
16.  ADM FARGO ASKED CHIA ABOUT THE SECURITY SITUATION ALONG 
SEVENTH MILITARY REGION'S CAMBODIAN BORDER.  CHIA RESPONDED THAT 
THE 615-KILOMETER BORDER WITH CAMBODIA IS SECURE.  THERE WERE 
INSTANCES 10 YEARS AGO WHEN SOME PEOPLE TRIED TO TRANSPORT 
WEAPONS AND EXPLOSIVES ACROSS THE BORDER, BUT THE MILITARY IN 
CONJUNCTION WITH THE BORDER GUARD PREVENTED THIS FROM HAPPENING. 
CHIA NOTED, "IN THE PAST 10 YEARS THERE HAVE BEEN NO CASES OF 
TRANSPORTING WEAPONS OR EXPLOSIVES ACROSS THE BORDER," THANKS TO 
A TRADITIONALLY GOOD RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE BORDER GUARDS AND 
THE MILITARY. 
 
17. WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE PROLIFERATION OF MANPADS, CHIA RESPONDED 
THAT, IN VIETNAM WE ARE NOT WORRIED ABOUT SUCH LARGE WEAPONS, BUT 
WE ARE WORRIED ABOUT SMALLER WEAPONS AND EXPLOSIVES. 
 
18. IN DANANG ADM FARGO MET WITH THE COMMANDER OF THE THIRD NAVAL 
REGION, SENIOR CAPTAIN PHAM NGOC MINH ALONG WITH HIS EXTENDED 
STAFF.  DISCUSSIONS INCLUDED THE MISSION OF NAVAL REGION THREE 
AND THE NAVAL BASE IN DANANG.  THIS CORDIAL MEETING WAS FOLLOWED 
BY A FIRST TIME TOUR OF SRV NAVY PATROL BOATS BY US MILITARY 
PERSONNEL.  THE TOUR INCLUDED A ((TURYA)) CLASS FAST ATTACK 
TORPEDO CRAFT, AND AN ((OSA II)) CLASS FAST ATTACK MISSILE CRAFT. 
ADM FARGO WAS GREETED BY EACH BOAT'S CREW AND GIVEN A BRIEF TOUR, 
WITH THE CAPTAIN OF EACH BOAT ANSWERING QUESTIONS DURING THE 
TOUR.  THE TOUR WAS FOLLOWED BY A THIRD NAVAL REGION SPONSORED 
LUNCH WITH ADM FARGO AND HIS STAFF. 
19. ADMIRAL FARGO HELD A SYMBOLIC, BUT IMPORTANT VISIT WITH 
SENIOR GENERAL VO NGUYEN GIAP.  THE DISCUSSION BETWEEN ADM FARGO 
AND GENERAL GIAP WAS DOMINATED BY EMPHASIS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF 
THE BILATERAL DEFENSE RELATIONSHIP.  ACCESS TO 94 YEAR-OLD 
GENERAL GIAP IS GUARDED CLOSELY BY THE GVN.  AFTER COMMENTING HE 
HAD RECEIVED REPORTS THE VISIT HAD RECEIVED "GOOD RESULTS", 
GIAP RAISED TWO AREAS  IA AND AGENT ORANGE COOPERATION.  GIAP 
STATED THAT VIETNAM IS COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING THE UNITED STATES 
IN THE SEARCH FOR MISSING IN ACTION CASES AND ASKED FOR HELP IN 
LOCATING VIETNAM'S MISSING.  IN TALKING ABOUT AGENT ORANGE, GIAP 
COMMENTED THAT THIS ISSUE HAS A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON OUR 
RELATIONSHIP AND HE STATED, "I WELCOME CONSIDERATION OF US HELP 
IN THIS AREA".  IN DEVELOPING BETTER RELATIONSHIPS GIAP NOTED IT 
IS ESSENTIAL THAT THE VIETNAMESE PEOPLE HAVE A BETTER 
UNDERSTANDING OF AMERICANS AND VICE VERSA.  (COMMENTS:  IT WAS 
CLEAR GIAP WAS A STRONG SUPPORTED OF US  N RELATIONS.) 
 
COMMENTS 
 
20.  THE VISIT OF ADM FARGO WAS MARKED BY A POSITIVE TONE AND 
WILLINGNESS TO COOPERATE THAT HAS NOT BEEN EVIDENT IN PREVIOUS 
VISITS WITH THE MINISTRY OF DEFENSE.  CLEARLY, ACCESS TO DANANG 
NAVAL BASE AND SENIOR GENERAL GIAP, THOUGH LARGELY SYMBOLIC, WERE 
CONSIDERED TO BE SIGNS OF A CLOSER DEFENSE RELATIONSHIP AND ARE 
INDICATIVE OF THE STATE OF THE WARMING BILATERAL MIL-TO-MIL 
RELATIONSHIP.  IMPORTANT ELEMENTS OF THE VISIT ARE THE 
COMMITMENTS TO COOPERATE, ESPECIALLY ON COUNTERTERRORISM, 
COUNTERNARCOTICS, DEMINING AND UXO REMOVAL, AND POW/MIA RECOVERY. 
BURGHARDT