US embassy cable - 04HANOI1677

UNCLAS HANOI 001677 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, PGOV, BM, VM, ASEAN 
SUBJECT:  GVN FRUSTRATED WITH BURMA, BUT. . . 
 
REF:  STATE 120720 
 
1. (SBU) Summary: Vietnam shares U.S. concerns about the 
Constitutional Convention in Burma, and is further worried 
about the impact of continuing political problems on the 
Hanoi-hosted ASEM 5 summit.  At the same time, Vietnam feels 
that too much pressure on the Burmese will drive them into 
China's arms.  The GVN has delivered its own "suitable 
steps" message to the Burmese, however.  End summary. 
 
2. (SBU) Poloff met June 10 with Nguyen Dinh Tang, the MFA's 
Burma expert in the Asia 2 Department, and delivered reftel 
demarche and a copy of the May 21 public statement. 
Separately, Charge met with Assistant Foreign Minister and 
Director General of the Americas Department Nguyen Duc Hung 
and also expressed US concern about the continued 
imprisonment of NLD leaders and the current Constitutional 
Convention process. 
 
3. (SBU) Tang noted that Vietnam and Burma had "long and 
friendly relations" dating back to 1947, and that both were 
members of ASEAN.  However, he added, Vietnam also supported 
Burma becoming a "full and strong" member of ASEAN.  Tang 
noted that the first step of Khin Nyunt's 2003 road map was 
the Constitutional Convention, but the "nonattendance" by 
the NLD was "not good." 
 
4. (SBU) Tang claimed that "the release of Aung San Suu Kyi, 
Tin Oo, and other prisoners is part of Myanmar's internal 
affairs."  He added "but we would like the internal affairs 
of Myanmar to advance peace and progress, and we think the 
Constitutional Convention should be inclusive."  He noted 
that "as the host of ASEM 5 summit in October, we have 
consistently encouraged suitable steps for measurable 
progress to create favorable conditions" for the ASEM 
meeting.  Tang noted that in March 2004 the Prime Minister 
had sent Foreign Minister Nguyen Dy Nien to deliver a 
"suitable steps" message.  On June 9, Tang delivered the 
same message to the Burmese Ambassador here, he said.  The 
Burmese Ambassador had responded that the Constitutional 
Convention was "very important" and would result in "power 
sharing among the parties and the ethnic groups." 
 
5. (SBU) Tang criticized the US approach as putting "too 
much pressure" on the Burmese, which would, inevitably, 
drive them into the arms of the Chinese.  ASEAN countries 
and even India understood this, Tang added.  India was 
especially concerned that Burma "maintain its independence" 
and remain as a "buffer" between India and China, he noted. 
India preferred that Burma look to its ASEAN neighbors for 
support, Tang said, and not China - a goal the U.S. should 
also have, he commented. 
 
6. (SBU) Comment: Tang returned to the MFA this January from 
Burma, where he was DCM of the Vietnamese Embassy.  He has 
spent more than nine years in Burma.  His frankness 
regarding the issue likely reflects both the GVN's (and his 
own) frustration with the Burmese and the possibility of the 
Burma issue derailing a successful ASEM 5. 
PORTER