US embassy cable - 04HANOI3265

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 003265 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV AND OES-PERRY 
STATE ALSO FOR NP NE-KRASS AND EB/TPP/MTA/IPC-AREIAS 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: KSCA, ENRG, KIPR, VM, IPROP 
SUBJECT:  VIETNAM:  AMBASSADOR'S CALL ON THE MINISTER OF 
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 
 
1. Summary.  The Minister of Science and Technology Hoang 
Van Phong explained to the Ambassador a new initiative to 
establish Centers of Excellence for returning Vietnam 
Education Foundation scholars.  Building off a suggestion 
raised during last month's fourth annual Science and 
Technology Joint Committee Meeting in Washington, the 
Ambassador and the Minister agreed to collaborate on a 
science and technology week in 2005.  The Minister expressed 
interest in continued participation in exchange programs. 
He described the initial stages of the GVN's effort to plan 
for constructing a nuclear power plant.  He expressed 
optimism that Vietnam would pass a new law on intellectual 
property rights (IPR) by the end of 2005.  End Summary. 
 
2. The Ambassador, accompanied by Econoff, paid a 45-minute 
initial call on Minister of Science and Technology Hoang Van 
Phong on December 3.  The Ministry of Science and Technology 
(MOST) is responsible for coordinating the U.S.-Vietnam 
cooperative agreement on science and technology.  MOST also 
oversees the Vietnam Atomic Energy Commission (VAEC) and the 
National Office of Intellectual Property (NOIP).  Throughout 
their meeting, the Ambassador and Minister Phong discussed 
ways to link scientific research with commercial and 
economic development.  Moreover, they also explored ways to 
recruit more young people, including Viet Kieu living in the 
United States, into Vietnam's scientific community. 
 
3. They both noted that many aspects of the bilateral 
science and technology agreement already seek to achieve 
these goals, as does the Vietnam Education Foundation (VEF), 
which selects and provides scholarships for Vietnamese 
students mainly for postgraduate studies in the sciences at 
U.S. universities.  Phong considers a recent initiative 
aimed at establishing Centers of Excellence (COE) to be the 
best way to offer meaningful opportunities to returning VEF 
scholars.  Under this proposal, these centers will be 
international standard research programs situated at 
Vietnamese universities and institutes.  Phong noted that 
MOST Vice Minister Bui Manh Hai had signed an agreement on 
the COE proposal with the VEF and the Institute for Advanced 
Studies on November 17 just before the Science and 
Technology Joint Committee Meeting (JCM) in Washington 
(septel).  MOST is currently conducting research with VEF on 
the appropriate model for the centers and will seek funding 
from the World Bank in the near future.  Phong welcomed the 
Ambassador's offer to assist in providing links to the U.S. 
academic and business communities and agreed to keep in 
close contact as the project develops. 
 
4. Phong and the Ambassador both supported the idea of 
organizing a week to promote scientific cooperation between 
Vietnam and the United States as proposed by Vice Minister 
Hai at the 4th JCM.  Phong agreed with the Ambassador that 
this event would help strengthen the ties between the 
scientific communities in both countries and serve as a good 
opportunity to link scientific research with commercial and 
economic development.  Noting that most important 
technologies in several fields are often developed by 
private enterprise, Phong listed many areas of interest to 
Vietnam such as health care, information technology and 
agriculture.  Phong and the Ambassador agreed that MOST and 
embassy staff members should begin coordinating immediately 
on possible topics and potential dates.  They both agreed to 
be prepared to discuss this issue during OES PDAS Anthony 
Rock's proposed visit in early 2005. 
 
5. Expressing his appreciation for the Embassy's support for 
previous exchanges and study tours, the Minister said he 
hopes that MOST can continue to benefit from such programs. 
The Ambassador encouraged Phong to coordinate closely with 
the Embassy's science and technology officer once MOST has 
determined its needs.  Phong suggested and the Ambassador 
agreed that establishing a museum of natural sciences in 
Vietnam, as Prime Minister Phan Van Khai had recently 
directed, was one area that could benefit from such a 
program. 
 
6. On energy, Phong remarked that MOST and the Ministry of 
Industry (MOI) are considering the best way to start a 
nuclear energy program in Vietnam.  MOI has submitted the 
first phase of a study on Vietnam's energy needs to the 
Prime Minister who has referred it to relevant ministries 
for comment, but Phong did not know how soon this study 
would be completed.  Phong added that the GVN considers that 
developing nuclear power for peaceful purposes will play a 
critical role in Vietnam's economic development and energy 
security.  In response to the Ambassador's advocacy on 
behalf of U.S. firms such as Westinghouse, Phong said that 
the GVN considers the United States to be a promising source 
of information and technology for such endeavors. 
 
7. Turning to intellectual property rights, the Minister 
predicted that a new law would be submitted to the next 
session of the National Assembly in May 2005 and probably 
approved by the end of the year.  He called for setting up a 
mechanism to discuss IPR disputes.  Phong went on to say 
that the IPR law and the law on technology transfer (which 
also covers franchise royalties) are very important for 
Vietnam's economic development.  He expressed hope that the 
United States and Vietnam would be able to work closely on 
these two issues.  The Ambassador noted that Vietnam's 
approach to IPR protection would be a key consideration in 
the timing of Vietnam's WTO accession, adding that the 
United States would welcome the opportunity to comment on 
these proposed laws. 
MARINE