US embassy cable - 03HANOI550

UNCLAS HANOI 000550 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV; INL/AAE; L/LEI (Sandage) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SNAR, PREL, EAID, VM, CNARC 
SUBJECT:  REVIVING THE COUNTERNARCOTICS LOA 
 
REF:  02 Hanoi 2490 
 
1.  (SBU)  Pham Quang Vinh, Deputy Director General of the 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Department of International 
Organizations, told poloff on March 7 that the "will is 
there for completing the LOA in the next several months. 
What remains is to work on the technical details."  Vinh 
said that he would present an "unofficial, personal" 
response to the Department's non-paper (ref) "within a 
week." 
 
2.  (SBU)  Vinh said that he will have a heavy travel 
schedule over the next six weeks; however, he pledged to 
convene an interministerial meeting at the deputy director 
level "soon" and see where everyone stands.  He left open 
the possibility that, in case of non-consensus at the deputy 
level, he would request policy input at the vice-ministerial 
level. 
 
3.  (SBU)  Without going into specifics, Vinh said that the 
Leahy language changes suggested in the Department's non- 
paper "look good."  The two "toughest" issues remaining 
continue to be those concerning tax liabilities and immunity 
status for temporary personnel assigned to future drug 
assistance projects. 
 
4.  (SBU)  Poloff told Vinh that the Department's non-paper 
from last October should serve as a roadmap when he carries 
out his interministerial deliberations.  Vinh agreed to 
convey this message to his colleagues and leadership. 
BURGHARDT