Cablegate: Tfus01: Treasury Undersecretary Telcon with State

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

070321Z Nov 01

2001HANOI02900 - UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED PTO8336

PAGE 01 HANOI 02900 070342Z
ACTION SS-00

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AID-00 AMAD-00 A-00 ACQ-00 CA-01
CCO-00 CEA-01 CG-00 CIAE-00 COME-00 CTME-00 DODE-00
DOEE-00 ITCE-00 DOTE-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 EAP-00 EB-00
EXME-00 E-00 FAAE-00 FBIE-00 UTED-00 VC-00 FRB-00
H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 INSE-00 ITC-01 L-00 VCE-00
M-00 AC-01 DCP-01 NRCE-00 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OCS-03
OMB-01 OPIC-01 PA-00 PC-01 PM-00 PRS-00 ACE-00
P-00 SCT-00 SP-00 IRM-00 SSO-00 STR-00 TEST-00
IAP-00 T-00 USIE-00 USSS-00 ASDS-01 FMP-00 PMB-00
DSCC-00 DRL-02 G-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /015W
------------------3AE3FD 070342Z /38
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 4596
INFO DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
ASEAN COLLECTIVE
AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY

UNCLAS HANOI 002900

SIPDIS

STATE FOR S/CT, EB/ESC/ESP AND EAP/BCLTV
TREASURY FOR OASIA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER PREL EFIN VM CTERR
SUBJECT: TFUS01: TREASURY UNDERSECRETARY TELCON WITH STATE
BANK DEPUTY DIRECTOR DUONG THU HUONG
UNCLASSIFIED

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REF: A) STATE 165224: B) STATE 178983; C) HANOI 2721

1. AT 8:30 AM, NOVEMBER 1 (LOCAL TIME), TREASURY UNDER
SECRETARY FOR INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS JOHN B. TAYLOR SPOKE VIA

SIPDIS
TELEPHONE FROM WASHINGTON TO DR. DUONG THU HUONG, DEPUTY
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE BANK OF VIETNAM. (THE CALL WAS
ARRANGED IN ADVANCE AT THE REQUEST OF U/S TAYLOR.) U/S
TAYLOR EXPRESSED APPRECIATION ON BEHALF OF THE USG FOR WHAT
VIETNAM HAD DONE THUS FAR TO SEARCH FOR ASSETS BELONGING TO
TERRORISTS OR THOSE WHO SUPPORT TERRORISTS. HE URGED
VIETNAM TO CONTINUE ITS ACTIVE COOPERATION IN THIS
INTERNATIONAL EFFORT AND TOLD MADAME HUONG TO CONTACT THE
U.S. EMBASSY SHOULD THE SBV FIND ANY INFORMATION PERTAINING
TO TERRORIST ASSETS.

2. MDM. HUONG REPLIED THAT THE GVN WAS TAKING THIS
ISSUE VERY SERIOUSLY. THUS FAR, BANKS HAD BEEN ASKED TO
SEARCH THEIR RECORDS FOR ASSETS BELONGING TO THE INDIVIDUALS
AND ORGANIZATIONS NAMED ON BOTH LISTS RECEIVED FROM THE U.S.
(BOTH THE 27 NAMES RECEIVED REF A AND THE 39 ADDITIONAL
NAMES PROVIDED REF B) THUS FAR, 40 BANKS (ABOUT 2/3 OF THE
TOTAL) HAD RESPONDED TO THE REQUEST TO SEARCH FOR THE FIRST
LIST OF 27 NAMES, AND NO ASSETS HAD BEEN LOCATED. MDM.
HUONG PLEDGED THAT THE SBV WOULD CONTINUE TO WORK ON THIS
ISSUE AND WOULD DO ALL IT COULD TO HELP THE U.S. IN THIS
MATTER.

3. AFTER THE PHONE CALL, MDM. HUONG PROVIDED ADDITIONAL
DETAIL TO ECONOFF REGARDING PROGRESS IN THE SEARCH. SHE
SAID THE SBV HAD ORDERED THE SEARCH FOR ASSETS BELONGING TO
UNCLASSIFIED

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THE 27 INDIVIDUALS OR ORGANIZATIONS ON THE FIRST LIST EARLY
IN OCTOBER AND SET A DEADLINE OF OCTOBER 12. SHE SAID THAT
THE SBV WAS FOLLOWING UP WITH THE BANKS THAT HAD NOT YET
REPLIED. BUT, SHE DID NOT ELABORATE CONCERNING HOW THE SBV
WAS DOING THIS OR WHICH BANKS HAD FAILED TO REPORT THUS FAR.
SHE ALSO REPORTED THAT THE SBV HAD ISSUED A SECOND REQUEST
FOR INFORMATION REGARDING THE LIST OF 39 NAMES POST PROVIDED
THE GOVERNMENT ON OCTOBER 16, AND THAT BANKS WERE REQUIRED
TO RESPOND BY NOVEMBER 2. SHE NOTED THAT "WE'VE NEVER DONE
ANYTHING SO SWIFTLY" BUT WAS TAKING THE EXTRA EFFORT IN
RESPONSE TO THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS REQUEST TO
EXPEDITE THE RESPONSE TO THE USG REQUEST.

4. ON WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, POST RECEIVED A LETTER
OFFICIALLY RESPONDING TO OUR REQUEST TO IDENTIFY AND FREEZE
ASSETS OF THE TERRORISTS AND TERRORISTS ORGANIZATIONS
BELONGING TO LIST OF 39 NAMES, SAYING THAT SUCH A REQUEST
HAD BEEN FORWARD BY THE SBV TO "ALL COMMERCIAL BANKS THAT
ARE AUTHORIZED TO CONDUCT INTERNATIONAL TRANSACTIONS."

5. COMMENT: POST WISHES TO THANK TREASURY FOR ITS
ASSISTANCE IN MAKING THIS CALL HAPPEN -- THE FIRST OF ITS
KIND WITH VIETNAM. MDM. HUONG WAS VISIBLY APPRECIATIVE OF
THIS EFFORT.
PORTER

UNCLASSIFIED

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