US embassy cable - 02HANOI2385

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VIETNAM'S PERSPECTIVE REGARDING ASEAN MINUS X (C- AL2-00929)

Identifier: 02HANOI2385
Wikileaks: View 02HANOI2385 at Wikileaks.org
Origin: Embassy Hanoi
Created: 2002-10-03 08:51:00
Classification: CONFIDENTIAL
Tags: PREL ETRD VM ASEAN
Redacted: This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

030851Z Oct 02

2002HANOI02385 - CONFIDENTIAL
 
 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ1918

PAGE 01        HANOI  02385  030850Z 
ACTION INR-00   

INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AID-00   CEA-01   CIAE-00  COME-00  CTME-00  
      DODE-00  DOEE-00  SRPP-00  DS-00    EAP-00   EB-00    EXIM-01  
      E-00     FBIE-00  VC-00    FRB-00   H-01     TEDE-00  ITC-01   
      LAB-01   L-00     VCE-00   MOFM-05  MOF-01   AC-01    NSAE-00  
      NSCE-00  OES-01   OMB-01   OPIC-01  PA-00    PM-00    PRS-00   
      ACE-00   P-00     SP-00    SSO-00   SS-00    STR-00   TRSE-00  
      T-00     USIE-00  IIP-00   PMB-00   DSCC-00  PRM-00   DRL-02   
      G-00     NFAT-00  SAS-00     /017W
                  ------------------F0C083  030851Z /38    
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 7685
INFO ASEAN COLLECTIVE
AMEMBASSY TOKYO 
AMEMBASSY SEOUL 
AMEMBASSY BEIJING 
USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI//POLAD/J-5//
C O N F I D E N T I A L HANOI 002385 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR INR/I, EAP/BCLTV AND EAP/RSP 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/03/07 
TAGS: PREL, ETRD, VM, ASEAN 
SUBJECT: VIETNAM'S PERSPECTIVE REGARDING ASEAN MINUS X (C- 
AL2-00929) 
 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        HANOI  02385  030850Z 
REF: STATE 162892 
 
1. CLASSIFIED BY A/DCM SCOTT BELLARD, REASON 1.5 (B) AND 
(D) 
 
2. (C) VIETNAM SUPPORTS THE ASEAN "10 MINUS X" FORMULA, SO 
LONG AS IT IS CONFINED TO THE ECONOMIC REALM AND DOES NOT 
INTERFERE WITH POLICY OR POLITICAL AFFAIRS.  ACCORDING TO 
MFA ASEAN DEPARTMENT DEPUTY DIRECTOR GENERAL PHAM HUU CHI, 
VIETNAM ACCEPTS THE WISH OF OTHER ASEAN MEMBERS TO MOVE 
FORWARD WITH THE 10 MINUS X POLICY AS A MEANS OF ADVANCING 
"SEPARATE BUT COMPATIBLE AGENDAS."  HANOI'S MAIN CONCERN IS 
THAT THIS FORMULA NOT ENCROACH INTO AREAS DEALING WITH 
POLITICAL FORMULATIONS, CHI NOTED. 
 
3. (C)  UNDER THE CURRENT DESIGN, CHI SAID THAT ALL MEMBER 
STATES WOULD BE FREE TO JOIN OR AVOID SIGNING ANY ASEAN 
INITIATIVE AT THEIR OWN DISCRETION.  HANOI BELIEVES THIS 
FORMULA COULD WORK WITH AN X VARIABLE OF 2 TO 3 COUNTRIES, 
BUT "ANY MORE WOULD BE TOO MUCH, AND WOULD JUST NOT WORK." 
IF 5 TO 6 MEMBERS DECIDED AGAINST AGREEING TO A PLAN, THEN 
"THAT INITIATIVE WOULD SIMPLY BE UNTENABLE UNDER ASEAN 
STANDARDS," HE ADDED. 
 
4. (C) WHEN ASKED HOW THIS MIGHT AFFECT THE DEVELOPMENT 
GAP, CHI STATED THAT HE DID NOT THINK IT WOULD HAVE MUCH OF 
AN EFFECT AS LONG AS THE MORE AFFLUENT AND DEVELOPED 
MEMBERS CONTINUED TO PROVIDE THE DEVELOPING STATES WITH 
EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC, AND INFRASTRUCTUAL ASSISTANCE. 
CHI ADDED THAT VIETNAM WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE MINUS X 
FORMULA GROW TO INCLUDE AREAS OF SCIENTIFIC AND EDUCATIONAL 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        HANOI  02385  030850Z 
COOPERATION AS WELL AS ECONOMICS. 
 
5. (C) CHI ADMITTED THAT THIS WAS A NEW PROPOSAL AND WOULD 
TAKE TIME TO REFINE.  HE SAID THAT "SOME MEMBERS WERE MORE 
EAGER THAN OTHERS" IN MOVING THIS INITIATIVE FORWARD AND 
THAT FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS TOPIC IS STILL NEEDED. 
BURGHARDT 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 


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