VZCZCXRO0524
RR RUEHHM
DE RUEHHI #1595 2501129
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 071129Z SEP 07
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6278
INFO RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH 3647
UNCLAS HANOI 001595
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KNNP PTER PREL KGIC VM
SUBJECT: GVN CONSIDERATION OF GLOBAL INITIATIVE TO COMBAT NUCLEAR
TERRORISM STILL AT EARLY STAGE
REFS: (A) STATE 122843 (B) HANOI 436
1. (SBU) Summary: According to an MFA official, the question of GVN
endorsement of the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism
("Global Initiative") has been submitted to relevant ministries for
review and comment. After the MFA receives feedback from these
ministries, it will prepare a recommendation for consideration by
high-level officials, probably the Prime Minister. There is no
timeline for this process, but a GVN decision prior to the proposed
Dalat conversion ceremony is unlikely. Since the initial March 7
demarche urging endorsement (Ref B), Post has provided updates to
the MFA on the Initiative's new participants and Astana conference.
Post will continue to urge endorsement of the Global Initiative with
appropriate GVN interlocutors. End summary.
2. (SBU) According to MFA Department of International Law and
Treaties Expert Nguyen Dang Thang, the proposal to endorse the
Global Initiative has been circulated to the Ministries of Science
and Technology (MOST), National Defense (MND) and Public Security
(MPS) for their review and comment. As of yet, the MFA has not
received feedback from these ministries. Thang said the appropriate
MPS officials are fully occupied with briefing the recently seated
Standing Committee of the National Assembly on the UN Hostages
Convention and the UN Suppression of Terrorist Bombing Convention.
Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has made ratification of these
counterterrorism conventions a priority. Thang suggested that the
MFA would be able to push for interagency feedback on the Global
Initiative at the end of this month, after work on the UN
conventions is complete. He was unable to provide a timeline for an
eventual decision.
3. (SBU) Since the March 7 joint U.S-Russian demarche, post has
provided the MFA with several updates on the growing list of Global
Initiative partners, as well as readouts from the Astana conference
and the Miami law enforcement conference. Two MPS Interpol
officials attended the Miami conference. On July 27, post and the
Russian Embassy sent identical diplomatic notes to the MFA again
urging endorsement of the Global Initiative. No response to our
diplomatic note has been received.
4. (SBU) Post will continue to track the progress of this matter in
the GVN inter-agency process and to urge endorsement of the Global
Initiative with appropriate GVN interlocutors.
MICHALAK