US embassy cable - 01HANOI3288

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 HANOI 003288 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV, EB/IFD/OMA AND EB/IFD/ODF 
STATE PASS USAID FOR ANE: DMCLUSKEY 
STATE PASS USTR FOR ELENA BRYAN 
TREASURY FOR OASIA 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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USDOC FOR 4431/MAC/IFP/OKSA/HPPHO 
USDA FOR FAS/FAA/STEVE HUETE 
SECDEF FOR ABLAGG 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID, EFIN, ETRD, ECON, PREL, VM, FINREF, SOE, HUMANR, HIV/AIDS 
SUBJECT:  VIETNAM CONSULTATIVE GROUP MEETING: A MEETING OF THE MINDS, AND CONTINUED HIGH LEVELS OF SUPPORT DESPITE A SLOWING WORLD ECONOMY 
 
REF:  HANOI 3269 
 
1.  SUMMARY: THE VIETNAM CONSULTATIVE GROUP OF DONORS 
(CG) MEETING WAS HELD IN HANOI, DECEMBER 7-8, 2001.  CO- 
CHAIRED BY THE WORLD BANK AND THE GOVERNMENT OF VIETNAM, 
THIS CG WAS CONSIDERABLY MORE UPBEAT THAN PREVIOUS 
MEETINGS.  THERE WAS MUCH UNANIMITY AMONG THE DONOR AND 
INTERNATIONAL NGO ATTENDEES CONCERNING VIETNAM'S 
ACHIEVEMENTS OVER THE PAST 5 YEARS AND THE CHALLENGES 
THAT LIE AHEAD.  MAJOR THEMES THAT ECHOED THROUGHOUT THE 
MEETING INCLUDED THE NEED TO STEP UP THE PACE OF REFORMS 
OF STATE-OWNED ENTERPRISES (SOE) AND STATE-OWNED 
COMMERCIAL BANKS (SOCB), AND STAY THE COURSE IN MACRO- 
ECONOMIC REFORMS AND DOMESTIC PRIVATE SECTOR DEVELOPMENT. 
CERTAIN DONORS ALSO RAISED CONCERNS REGARDING HUMAN 
RIGHTS, HIV/AIDS, EQUITY, GOOD GOVERNANCE, ADMINISTRATIVE 
AND LEGAL REFORM, CORRUPTION, AND THE NEED FOR 
TRANSPARENCY. 
 
2. THE U.S. DELEGATION LED BY USAID/AA/ANE, LORI FORMAN, 
MADE STRONG, YET WELL-RECEIVED INTERVENTIONS CONCERNING 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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VIETNAM'S NEED TO HARNESS THE ENERGIES OF ALL ITS PEOPLE 
REGARDLESS OF GENDER, RELIGION, OR ETHNICITY, THE 
IMPORTANCE OF DE-STIGMATIZING VICTIMS OF HIV/AIDS IN 
ORDER TO STEM ITS SPREAD, AND THE CRITICAL NEED TO ASSURE 
THAT STATE INVESTMENT CREDITS ARE PROVIDED IN A WAY THAT 
DOES NOT DISADVANTAGE THE PRIVATE SECTOR VIS-A-VIS 
THESTATE-OWNED ENTERPRISE SECTOR.  IN THE FINAL SESSION, 
THE USG PLEDGED $32.8 MILLION IN ASSISTANCE TO VIETNAM 
CONTINGENT ON FUNDS AVAILABILITY. 
 
3. IMPRESSIVELY, THE DONOR COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE PLEDGED 
$2.4 BILLION IN ASSISTANCE TO VIETNAM FOR THE COMING YEAR 
- THE SAME AMOUNT AS LAST YEAR, DESPITE THE GLOBAL 
ECONOMIC SLOW-DOWN.  THIS WAS SEEN AS A VOTE OF 
CONFIDENCE IN VIETNAM'S REFORM EFFORTS.  END SUMMARY. 
 
4.  VIETNAM WAS REPRESENTED BY DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER CAM, 
MINISTER OF PLANNING AND INVESTMENT GIA, AND OFFICIALS 
FROM SEVERAL OTHER MINISTRIES.  THE MEETING OPENED WITH A 
STATEMENT FROM THE WORLD BANK COUNTRY DIRECTOR, ANDREW 
STEER, WHO DESCRIBED THE EVOLUTION THAT HAS TAKEN PLACE 
SINCE THE FIRST VIETNAM CG IN 1997.  HE NOTED THAT FOUR 
YEARS AGO WHEN VIETNAM'S GOVERNMENT (GVN) AND DONORS MET 
IN TOKYO, VIETNAM'S ECONOMY WAS CHARACTERIZED BY SERIOUS 
STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS.  THERE WERE NO PLANS FOR 
DEREGULATION OF THE DOMESTIC PRIVATE SECTOR, NO IMF AND 
WORLD BANK AGREEMENTS, NO SOE OR BANKING REFORM.  THREE 
YEARS AGO AT THE CG IN PARIS, STRUCTURAL REFORM BEGAN TO 
BE CONSIDERED.  TWO YEARS AGO IN HANOI, THE CG FOCUSSED 
ON POVERTY ALLEVIATION; AND LAST YEAR IN HANOI, THE CG 
CONSIDERED A STRATEGIC REFORM AGENDA AND VIETNAM'S OWN 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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DRAFT 10-YEAR SOCIO-ECONOMIC PLAN WHICH WAS LATER 
APPROVED AT THE NINTH PARTY CONGRESS LAST MAY. 
 
5.  STEER THEN HIGHLIGHTED THE REMARKABLE PROGRESS THAT 
THE CG HAS TO CONSIDER THIS YEAR:  THERE ARE NOW IMF AND 
WORLD BANK AGREEMENTS IN PLACE; A DRAFT COMPREHENSIVE 
POVERTY REDUCTION AND GROWTH STRATEGY HAS BEEN DEVELOPED; 
SOE AND BANKING REFORM PROGRAM HAVE BEEN AGREED TO AND 
ARE BEGINNING TO BE IMPLEMENTED; AND THE DOMESTIC PRIVATE 
SECTOR HAS GROWN, WITH 70% MORE WORKERS THAN 2 YEARS AGO 
(ALBEIT FROM A VERY SMALL BASE).  IN ADDITION, THE 
BILATERAL TRADE AGREEMENT (BTA) WITH THE UNITED STATES, 
WHICH WILL REQUIRE VIETNAM TO MAKE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN 
LEGAL, TRADE AND COMMERCIAL REGULATIONS, HAS BEEN 
RATIFIED BY BOTH COUNTRIES.. 
 
6.  STEER WENT ON TO SAY THAT THE REALLY HARD WORK IS NOW 
JUST BEGINNING: THE WORLD ECONOMY IS LESS FRIENDLY NOW 
THAN IN THE PAST TWO DECADES, AND THE DIFFICULT PROCESS 
OF SOE AND SOCB REFORMS HAS YET TO BE INITIATED IN 
EARNEST.  IT WAS INCUMBENT ON VIETNAM TO TAKE ADVANTAGE 
OF THIS "BREATHING SPACE" CREATED BY ITS CONTINUED 
ECONOMIC GROWTH IN A PERIOD OF GLOBAL ECONOMIC DOWNTURN 
TO PRESS AHEAD WITH REFORMS AND POSITION ITSELF FOR THE 
EVENTUAL GLOBAL RECOVERY 
 
7.  THE IMF REPRESENTATIVE TOLD THE CG PARTICIPANTS THAT 
WHILE THE WORLD ECONOMIC DOWNTURN HAS AFFECTED VIETNAM BY 
DEPRESSING COMMODITY PRICES, ECONOMIC GROWTH SHOULD 
REMAIN RELATIVELY ROBUST (AN ESTIMATED 4.7% IN 2001, WITH 
CONTINUING LOW INFLATION AND A STRENGTHENING OF THE 
EXTERNAL POSITION) WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF POLICY 
REFORMS AND A REVIVAL IN INVESTMENT.  CRITICAL STEPS 
INCLUDE ACCELERATING IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BTA REFORMS 
AND STAYING THE COURSE ON MACRO-ECONOMIC REFORMS. 
 
8.  THE IMF REP NOTED THAT VIETNAM HAD IMPORT RESERVES OF 
10 WEEKS, AND THAT ALTHOUGH THE COUNTRY'S DEFICIT COULD 
BE WIDENED SLIGHTLY TO ACCOMMODATE NEEDS, VIETNAM MUST 
STABILIZE REVENUE PERFORMANCE AND ACCELERATE CRITICAL SOE 
AND SOCB REFORMS. 
 
9.  WORLD BANK CHIEF ECONOMIST FOR VIETNAM KAZI MATIN 
REPORTED THAT TRADE POLICY AND NON-STATE BANKING REFORMS 
ARE ON TRACK, BUT WITH REGARDS TO SOE REFORM, ONLY 130 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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SOES HAVE BEEN EQUITIZED, SOLD, OR LIQUIDATED OUT OF THE 
PLANNED 400 FOR FY 2001.  TO MEET CURRENT TARGETS, THIS 
MEANS THAT 270 REMAIN TO BE DONE IN A 6-MONTH PERIOD. 
 
10. BILATERAL DONORS CONGRATULATED THE GVN ON ITS 
ACHIEVEMENTS THUS FAR IN AREAS SUCH AS ECONOMIC GROWTH, 
PRIVATE SECTOR DEVELOPMENT, POVERTY REDUCTION, HUMAN 
RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT, AND ADOPTION OF ECONOMIC AND PUBLIC 
ADMINISTRATION REFORM PROGRAMS AND ENCOURAGED THE GVN TO 
CONTINUE TO PRESS AHEAD AND AVOID THE TEMPTATION TO SLOW 
THE PACE OF PROGRESS 
 
11. THE DONOR INTERVENTIONS REPEATED MANY SIMILAR 
CONCERNS REGARDING THE SLOW PACE OF REFORM IN THE SOE AND 
BANKING SECTORS.  THEY ALSO DISCUSSED THE CRITICAL ROLE 
THE DOMESTIC PRIVATE SECTOR WILL PLAY IN VIETNAM'S 
TRANSITION INTO THE GLOBAL ECONOMY.  DONORS RECOGNIZED 
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE GVN'S CONTINUED IMPLEMENTATION OF 
1999'S ENTERPRISE LAW WHICH PERMITS MOST DOMESTIC PRIVATE 
ENTERPRISES TO BE ESTABLISHED VIA A STREAM-LINED 
REGISTRATION PROCESS, REPLACING A LENGTHY, NON- 
TRANSPARENT LICENSE APPROVAL REGIME.   BUT DONORS URGED 
THE GOVERNMENT TO CONTINUE TO IMPROVE THE ENVIRONMENT FOR 
THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE DOMESTIC PRIVATE SECTOR.   THE 
ASIA DEVELOPMENT BANK REPRESENTATIVE STRESSED THE NEED 
FOR THE GVN TO PLAY A SUPPORTING OR CATALYTIC ROLE IN THE 
ECONOMY, NOT A COMMANDING ROLE.  HE NOTED THE NEED FOR A 
PARADIGM SHIFT IN THE GVN'S APPROACH; A GOVERNMENT 
STEEPED IN A CULTURE OF INTERVENTION NOW NEEDS TO LEARN 
TO MOVE OUT OF THE WAY. 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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12.  DESPITE THE IMPORTANT STEPS VIETNAM HAS TAKEN TO 
DEVELOP THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND, AT LEAST ON PAPER, PUT IT 
ON MORE EQUAL FOOTING WITH STATE-OWNED ENTERPRISES 
(SOE'S), PRIVATE ENTERPRISES, DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN, 
CONTINUE TO FACE DIFFICULT PROBLEMS.  THESE PROBLEMS WERE 
DISCUSSED IN DETAIL AT THE IFC HOSTED BUSINESS FORUM HELD 
SEVERAL DAYS EARLIER AND REPORTED TO DONORS AT THE CG. 
MACRO-LEVEL PROBLEMS INCLUDED: DIFFICULTY IN ACCESSING 
CREDIT; CONTINUED BIAS AGAINST PRIVATE ENTERPRISE BY 
OFFICIALS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC; THE NEED FOR TIMELY AND 
CONSISTENT IMPLEMENTATION OF EXISTING REFORMS; IMPROVED 
TRANPARENCY IN GOVERNMENT REGULATION OF BUSINESS; AND 
COMPLETION OF LEGISLATIVE AND REGULATORY CHANGES NEEDED 
TO PROVIDE EQUAL TREATMENT TO DOMESTIC PRIVATE 
ENTERPRISE, SOE'S AND FOREIGN-INVESTED ENTERPRISE. 
PRIVATE SECTOR REPRESENTATIVES AGREED HOWEVER, THAT THE 
BUSINESS CLIMATE IN VIETNAM HAD IMPROVED AND INDEED WAS 
NOW BETTER THAN MOST OUTSIDE OF VIETNAM WERE AWARE. 
THEREFORE, IN ADDITION TO CONTINUING TO IMPROVE THE 
CLIMATE FOR PRIVATE BUSINESS, BUSINESS REPRESENTATIVES 
AND DONORS URGED VIETNAM TO BETTER ADVERTISE THE CHANGES 
THAT HAVE BEEN MADE. 
 
13.  BILATERAL DONORS EMPHASIZED OTHER THEMES AND 
CONCERNS AS WELL: THE NEED TO PURSUE GROWTH WITH EQUITY 
TO ENSURE THAT ALL VIETNAMESE REAP THE BENEFITS OF 
VIETNAM'S ECONOMIC PROGRESS, THE PRESSING NEED FOR 
TRANSPARENCY IN BUDGET MANAGEMENT AND A LEGAL FRAMEWORK, 
RECURRENT COST IMPLICATIONS OF ITS PUBLIC INVESTMENT PLAN 
(PIP), DISPARITIES IN GVN AND MULTILATERAL DONOR 
STATISTICS, INDUSTRIAL GROWTH AT THE EXPENSE OF 
AGRICULTURE AND ENVIRONMENT, AND THE SPREAD OF HIV/AIDS 
IN VIETNAM.  THE U.S., SWEDISH, DANISH, FINNISH, 
AUSTRALIAN, NEW ZEALAND, AND BELGIUM DELEGATIONS ALL MADE 
STATEMENTS REGARDING LINKAGES BETWEEN GOOD GOVERNANCE, 
HUMAN RIGHTS, CORRUPTION,TRANSPARENCY AND THE SUCCESS OF 
THE GVN'S ECONOMIC REFORM AND POVERTY ALLEVIATION 
POLICIES. (SEE REFTEL FOR A REPORT ON THE DISCUSSION OF 
HUMAN RIGHTS.)  NOTING THAT TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL 
HAD RATED VIETNAM VERY POORLY WITH RESPECT TO CORRUPTION, 
THE CANADIANS ARGUED THAT CORRUPTION AND LACK OF 
TRANSPARENCY ARE IMPEDIMENTS TO FOREIGN INVESTMENT AND 
ECONOMIC GROWTH. THE SWEDISH MADE A WELL-RECEIVED 
ANNOUNCEMENT THAT THEY WOULD FINANCE A DIAGNOSTIC STUDY 
ON CORRUPTION, ITS CAUSES AND EFFECTS. THE ADB 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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REPRESENTATIVE NOTED THAT THE GVN DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE 
DEDICATING RESOURCES TO LEGAL REFORM. HE POINTED TO THE 
GVNS "WISH LIST" OF ODA INVESTMENT PROJECTS AND NOTED 
THAT OF 300 PLUS PROJECTS, NONE ADDRESSED LEGAL REFORM OR 
CORRUPTION. 
 
14.  THE FOUR INTERNATIONAL NGO OFFICIALS, REPRESENTING 
OVER 50 OF THE INGO'S OPERATING IN VIETNAM, STRESSED THE 
NEED FOR ENSURING GROWTH WITH EQUITY, POVERTY 
ALLEVIATION, AND CAPACITY BUILDING AT THE GRASSROOTS 
LEVEL TO ENSURE THAT REFORM POLICIES ARE UNDERSTOOD AND 
FULLY IMPLEMENTED AT ALL LEVELS.  NGOS ALSO URGED THE 
GOVERNMENT TO PASS A LONG-AWAITED DECREE ON LOCAL NGOS 
AND ASSOCIATIONS.  (NOTE: BECAUSE VIETNAM LACKS A LAW 
GOVERNING OPERATION OF DOMESTIC NGOS, EXISTING LOCAL NON- 
GOVERNMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS DO NOT HAVE A CLEAR RIGHT TO 
EXIST IN VIETNAM'S CIVIL LAW LEGAL SYSTEM.  OPERATING IN 
A LEGAL TWILIGHT ZONE, THOSE THAT DO EXIST REMAIN SMALL, 
WEAK AND FIND IT DIFFICULT TO RAISE FUNDS. END NOTE.) 
 
15. DURING THE DISCUSSION ON THE VIETNAM'S PUBLIC 
INVESTMENT PLAN (PIP), SEVERAL DONORS NOTED THAT THE 
GOVERNMENT WAS STILL PLANNING PUBLIC PROJECTS IN AREAS 
WHERE THE PRIVATE SECTOR COULD AND SHOULD OPERATE AND 
WHERE GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION WAS NOT NEEDED.  THE ADB 
REP URGED THE GVN TO FREE UP THOSE FUNDS FOR AREAS WHERE 
PUBLIC INVESTMENT WAS TRULY NECESSARY.  DONORS ALSO 
COMMENTED ON THE REGIONAL AND SECTORAL DISTRIBUTION OF 
PLANNED PUBLIC INVESTMENT, WITH THE MAJORITY OF PROJECTS 
IN THE INDUSTRIAL SECTOR AND/OR IN THE SOUTHERN 
PROVINCES.  SWEDEN COMMENTED THAT THE PIP DID NOT APPEAR 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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TO HAVE A CLEAR LINKAGE TO VIETNAM'S POVERTY REDUCTION 
STRATEGY, DID NOT TARGET LESS ADVANTAGED REGIONS OR 
MARGINALIZED PEOPLE AND DID NOT ADDRESS THE ISSUES OF 
HEALTH AND EDUCATION IN ANY SIGNIFICANT WAY. WORLD BANK 
REP NOTED THAT VIETNAM HAD ACTUALLY INCREASED THE SHARE 
OF PUBLIC INVESTMENT TO INDUSTRY FROM 28 PERCENT LAST 
YEAR TO 34 PERCENT THIS YEAR. HE QUESTIONED THIS SHARE, 
NOTING THAT IF THE PUBLIC INDUSTRIAL SECTOR IS IN 
TRANSITION AND THE SOE REFORM PLAN CALLS FOR A MORE 
BUSINESS ORIENTED APPROACH IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR, WHY IS A 
GREATER PERCENTAGE OF FUNDS ALLOCATED THIS YEAR. 
 
16. THE U.S. DELEGATION, CONSISTING OF HEAD-OF-DELEGATION 
LORI FORMAN, CHARGE D'AFFAIRES ROBERT PORTER, REGIONAL 
MISSION DIRECTOR LISA CHILES, VIETNAM OFFICER-IN-CHARGE 
ANTOINETTE FERRARA, ECON COUNSELOR CLAIRE PIERANGELO, AND 
USAID/HANOI COUNTRY MANAGER JEAN GILSON, MADE THREE 
POINTED INTERVENTIONS.  THE FIRST ONE CONGRATULATED THE 
GVN ON ITS RATIFICATION OF THE BTA AND ITS WILLINGNESS TO 
UNDERTAKE THE TOUGH REFORMS REQUIRED UNDER IT AS WELL AS 
ITS SOE AND SOCB REFORM PROGRAMS.  MS. FORMAN REMINDED 
THE GOVERNMENT THAT ITS ABILITY TO ACHIEVE LONG-TERM 
PROSPERITY WILL DEPEND GREATLY ON WHETHER IT HARNESSES 
THE ENERGIES OF ALL OF ITS CITIZENS REGARDLESS OF GENDER, 
RELIGION, OR ETHNICITY, AND MANAGES TO CHANGE THE 
ATTITUDES OF LOCAL AND OTHER OFFICIALS WHO ARE CHARGED 
WITH IMPLEMENTATION OF THE REFORMS.  THE DANISH 
DELEGATION ASSOCIATED ITSELF WITH MS. FORMAN'S REMARK 
REGARDING "ATTITUDE."  THE USG'S WRITTEN STATEMENT WAS 
SUBMITTED FOR THE RECORD. 
 
17.  THE SECOND INTERVENTION MS. FORMAN MADE CONCERNED 
THE NEED TO ENSURE THAT THE DISADVANTAGED DO NOT GET LEFT 
BEHIND IN THE PROCESS OF ECONOMIC LIBERALIZATION AND 
ACCLELERATING GROWTH.  SHE HIGHLIGHTED THE PLIGHT OF 
HIV/AIDS VICTIMS AND THE NEED FOR DE-STIGMATIZATION OF 
THEIR DISEASE AND INCREASED COORDINATION BETWEEN 
GOVERNMENT AND DONORS IN ORDER TO HALT THE SPREAD OF 
HIV/AIDS IN VIETNAM.  MS. FORMAN NOTED THAT THE USG IS 
SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASING ITS FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO THE 
FIGHT AGAINST HIV/AIDS IN VIETNAM, AND OFFERED TO WORK 
WITH THE GVN IN A NATIONAL COORDINATION EFFORT. 
 
18. IN HER THIRD INTERVENTION, MADE DURING A DISCUSSION 
ON THE GOVERNMENT'S PUBLIC INVESTMENT PLAN, MS. FORMAN 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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SPOKE BRIEFLY ON THE IMPORTANCE OF ASSURING THAT THE GVN 
STRICTLY ADHERES TO ITS STATED INTENT TO ELIMINATE 
DISCRIMINATION BETWEEN THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS IN 
THE PROVISION OF STATE INVESTMENT CREDITS.  SHE ALSO 
ASKED ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT'S PLANS TO MOBILIZE 
DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES THROUGH LOCAL, NON-GOVERNMENTAL 
ORGANIZATIONS, COMMUNITY ASSOCIATIONS, AND THE LIKE.  THE 
UK AND FINLAND DELEGATIONS ASSOCIATED THEMSELVES WITH 
THESE COMMENTS. 
 
19.  IN THE FINAL SESSION, DONORS WERE INFORMED OF 
VIETNAM'S EXTERNAL FINANCING NEEDS.  DONORS COLLECTIVELY 
ANTED UP WITH $2.4 BILLION IN ASSISTANCE, A SUM EQUALLING 
LAST YEAR'S PLEDGE LEVELS.  JAPAN SURPRISED THE CG BY 
ANNOUNCING THAT ALTHOUGH TOTAL JAPANESE ODA WOULD 
DECREASE BY 10 PERCENT IN NOMINAL TERMS NEXT YEAR, JAPAN 
WOULD INCREASE ITS PROGRAM FOR VIETNAM BY 8 PERCENT IN 
NOMINAL TERMS TO 96.5 BILLION YEN. MPI MINISTER GIA NOTED 
THAT ABOUT 85 PERCENT OF ODA TO VIETNAM WAS IN THE FORM 
OF CONCESSIONAL LOANS AND 15 PERCENT WAS IN THE FORM OF 
GRANTS. 
 
20.  MS. FORMAN INDICATED THE USG'S INTENTION TO PROVIDE 
$32.8 MILLION IN ASSISTANCE TO VIETNAM, SUBJECT TO 
CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL AND AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.  THE 
ASSISTANCE WILL COMPRISE TECHNICAL SUPPORT AND 
HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE PROVIDED THROUGH USAID AND THE 
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES; TECHNICAL 
ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING THROUGH THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF 
LABOR, AS WELL AS EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS THROUGH THE 
DEPARTMENT OF STATE, FOOD ASSISTANCE THROUGH THE U.S. 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, AND THE PROVISION OF TECHNICAL 
EXPERTISE BY OTHER U.S. GOVERNMENT AGENCIES.  MS. FORMAN 
BEGAN HER REMARKS BY UNDERSCORING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE 
RECENT RATIFICATION OF THE BTA IN SOLIDIFYING A NEW AND 
GROWING RELATIONSHIP WITH VIETNAM, AND THE USG'S PLEASURE 
IN HOSTING THE LARGE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR DELEGATION 
FROM VIETNAM THAT WOULD BE IN WASHINGTON D.C. THE 
FOLLOWING WEEK. 
 
21.IN SUM, THIS YEAR'S VIETNAM CG WAS A REFLECTION OF THE 
INCREASING UNANIMITY AND GOOD WILL AMONG DONORS TOWARDS 
VIETNAM AS A RESULT OF THE GOVERNMENT'S WILLINGNESS TO 
UNDERTAKE A NUMBER OF CRITICAL REFORMS.  WHILE PROGRESS 
ON SOME OF THESE IS UNEVEN, DONORS SEEMED INCLINED TO 
GIVE VIETNAM CREDIT FOR GOOD INTENTIONS AND SOME 
SIGNIFICANT STEPS FORWARD.  THE GOVERNMENT RESPONDED 
GRACIOUSLY, WITH ACCEPTANCE OF MANY OF THE CRITICISMS AND 
ANNOUNCEMENTS OF ITS INTENTION TO REDOUBLE ITS EFFORTS AT 
REFORM. 
 
22. FOR ITS PART, THE USG DELEGATION WAS WARMLY WELCOMED. 
AA/ANE FORMAN'S PRESENCE CONFIRMED A STRENGTHENING OF 
RELATIONS BETWEEN THE US MISSION (AND ESPECIALLY USAID) 
AND THE GOVERNMENT OF VIETNAM.  IT SHOULD ALSO BE NOTED 
THAT A USG SUGGESTION MADE AT LAST YEAR'S CG - TO PROVIDE 
COPIES OF THE PREVIOUS YEAR'S CHAIRMAN'S CLOSING 
STATEMENT IN ORDER TO HIGHLIGHT PROGRESS MADE OR LACKING 
ON KEY ISSUES - WAS ADOPTED FOR THIS CG, AND THE WORLD 
BANK CO-CHAIRMAN REFERRED TO IT ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS 
DURING THE SESSIONS. 
BURGHARDT 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED