US embassy cable - 04HANOI2609

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 002609 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV 
 
For OBO/REPM/ACQ - Mike Lash 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PHUM, PINR, ABLD, AMGT, VM 
SUBJECT:  Ambassador's September 17 Meeting with Vice 
Foreign Minister Le Van Bang 
Ref: A) Hanoi 2149      B) State 
 
161328     C) State 159268     D) Hanoi 25951. 
 
(SBU) Summary and Comment:  The Ambassador met September 17 with Vice 
Foreign Minister Le Van Bang.  Bang's first piece of 
business was to inform the Ambassador that the President had 
agreed to receive the Ambassador's credentials "earlier than 
normal," specifically "later this month."  VFM Bang agreed 
that the acquisition of the new Embassy compound was a 
critical issue that required both sides' attention and urged 
the USG to talk with the Russians, just as the GVN would 
continue to do.  All that was left was to "sign the deal" 
with them, Bang claimed.  The VFM expressed his hope that he 
and the Ambassador would be able to meet regularly to "sort 
out" issues and added that, regardless of what might arise, 
at the end of the day it was the bilateral relationship that 
was most important.  Bang's tone was upbeat; surprisingly, 
he passed on the opportunity to raise the recent designation 
of Vietnam as a "Country of Particular Concern."  End 
Summary and Comment.2. (SBU) The Ambassador, accompanied by 
DCM and Pol/C, met September 17 with Vice Foreign Minister 
Le Van Bang.  This was the Ambassador's first meeting with 
VFM Bang since the late 1980s.  VFM Bang opened by recalling 
that he had first met the Ambassador when the latter was 
Deputy Director of the Office of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia 
Affairs and had traveled to Vietnam in 1989 and 1990 for 
humanitarian discussions.  Bang expressed his hope that the 
Ambassador would be able to continue to improve relations as 
he had done during his previous contacts with Vietnam.  VFM 
Bang informed the Ambassador that, although Vietnam's 
President normally accepted the credentials of new 
ambassadors only four times a year -- with the next ceremony 
scheduled for November -- MFA had learned September 16 that 
the Ambassador and several other newcomers would have the 
opportunity to present their credentials "later this month." 
Bang noted that this was a "privilege" and quickly added 
that one of his responsibilities was state protocol.3. (SBU) 
In response to the Ambassador's question about his other 
responsibilities beyond U.S.-Vietnam relations and state 
protocol, Bang said that he was also in charge of 
international organizations and U.N. affairs, as well as the 
administrative, financial and budget issues of foreign 
missions.  As such, he had a key role to play in the USG's 
desired acquisition of land for a new Embassy compound (NEC) 
(Refs A, B, C, and see para 7 for background).  Bang 
complained that he had tried to work with the Russians, but 
they seemed to be having problems coming to closure on the 
deal.  The Ambassador remarked that time was not on our 
side, noting that the money earmarked for the project would 
not be available forever and that the Hanoi People's 
Committee appeared to be shopping around the property.  Bang 
said that Vietnam was equally interested in acquiring 
property in Washington, D.C. (for $10 million) and agreed 
with the Ambassador that this was an issue of reciprocity. 
MFA's Legal Department Director General, who was in charge 
of the NEC negotiation, had informed Bang September 16 that 
he planned to speak with the Russian Ambassador about this 
issue and ask that they "resume" their deal as soon as 
possible.  Both sides had agreed on a price last December, 
and all that was left was to sign.  The GVN would continue 
to work with the Russians, but the USG should also weigh in 
with the Russians, Bang suggested. 
4. (SBU) Bang said that there were many other issues on 
which both he and the Ambassador would have to focus their 
attention and expressed his hope that they would be able to 
sit down soon and "sort them out" the way he had down with 
Ambassadors Peterson and Burghardt.  Although he himself had 
been dealing with American issues since 1989, it seemed 
that, in the American system, people moved in and out of 
jobs every two or three years, he observed. 
 
5. (SBU) Bang noted that in light of the early October ASEM 
5 Summit in Hanoi and November APEC Summit in Santiago, he 
was "very busy."  However, he would see the Ambassador again 
on the occasion of the presentation of his credentials and 
agreed that they should try to find time to meet again soon. 
The Ambassador noted that Ambassador Burghardt had always 
valued the chance to work quietly and constructively with 
Bang and, although not always seeing eye-to-eye, they were 
able to solve some issues and to keep others under control. 
Bang agreed, saying that it was important to work together 
officially, unofficially, privately, or "otherwise," 
because, at the end of the day, it was the bilateral 
relationship that was most important.6. (SBU) Comment: 
Bang's tone was upbeat and forward-looking.  In contrast 
with the Ambassador's conversation the day before with 
Assistant Foreign Minister Hung (Ref D), there was no 
mention of the religious freedom issue or the Department's 
designation of Vietnam as a country of particular concern.7. 
(U) NEC Background:  Embassy Hanoi officers met July 29 with 
Le Van Bang.  This was the Ambassador's first meeting with 
VFM Bang since the late 1980s.  VFM Bang opened by recalling 
that he had first met the Ambassador when the latter was 
Deputy Director of the Office of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia 
Affairs and had traveled to Vietnam in 1989 and 1990 for 
humanitarian discussions.  Bang expressed his hope that the 
Ambassador would be able to continue to improve relations as 
he had done during his previous contacts with Vietnam.  VFM 
Bang informed the Ambassador that, although Vietnam's 
President normally accepted the credentials of new 
ambassadors only four times a year -- with the next ceremony 
scheduled for November -- MFA had learned September 16 that 
the Ambassador and several other newcomers would have the 
opportunity to present their credentials "later this month." 
Bang noted that this was a "privilege" and quickly added 
that one of his responsibilities was state protocol.3. (SBU) 
In response to the Ambassador's question about his other 
responsibilities beyond U.S.-Vietnam relations and state 
protocol, Bang said that he was also in charge of 
international organizations and U.N. affairs, as well as the 
administrative, financial and budget issues of foreign 
missions.  As such, he had a key role to play in the USG's 
desired acquisition of land for a new Embassy compound (NEC) 
(Refs A, B, C, and see para 7 for background).  Bang 
complained that he had tried to work with the Russians, but 
they seemed to be having problems coming to closure on the 
deal.  The Ambassador remarked that time was not on our 
side, noting that the money earmarked for the project would 
not be available forever and that the Hanoi People's 
Committee appeared to be shopping around the property.  Bang 
said that Vietnam was equally interested in acquiring 
property in Washington, D.C. (for $10 million) and agreed 
with the Ambassador that this was an issue of reciprocity. 
MFA's Legal Department Director General, who was in charge 
of the NEC negotiation, had informed Bang September 16 that 
he planned to speak with the Russian Ambassador about this 
issue and ask that they "resume" their deal as soon as 
possible.  Both sides had agreed on a price last December, 
and all that was left was to sign.  The GVN would continue 
to work with the Russians, but the USG should also weigh in 
with the Russians, Bang suggested. 
4. (SBU) Bang said that there were many other issues on 
which both he and the Ambassador would have to focus their 
attention and expressed his hope that they would be able to 
sit down soon and "sort them out" the way he had down with 
Ambassadors Peterson and Burghardt.  Although he himself had 
been dealing with American issues since 1989, it seemed 
that, in the American system, people moved in and out of 
jobs every two or three years, he observed. 
 
Diplomatic Services Bureau General Director Xuong, at which 
time he stated a "strong desire" to settle the NEC matter 
with the Russians before September 30 (the end of the GVN's 
fiscal year).  Xuong claimed that the GVN's efforts to 
finalize the agreement with Russia were stymied by a 
reorganization of the Russian Foreign Ministry.  He 
explained that it was unclear which Russian MFA 
directorate/vice-minister had responsibility for this 
particular initiative.  When asked if the GVN would consider 
starting "informal" discussions with the USG regarding 
possible acquisition costs, protocols, etc., Ambassador 
Xuong reiterated the Vietnamese position that it would not 
commence direct GVN-USG negotiations until his government 
had regained full legal rights to the property.  Note:  the 
GVN and Russian MFA appear to have already agreed a price 
($2 million) to offset Russian infrastructure improvements 
to the site.  End Background.MARINE