INDEPENDENT NEWS

Cablegate: Senior Vietnamese Official Says Zimbabwe Situation No

Published: Fri 11 Jul 2008 11:55 AM
VZCZCXRO4850
OO RUEHTRO
DE RUEHHI #0808 1931155
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 111155Z JUL 08
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8128
INFO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0220
RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH 4915
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUCNASD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUEHSB/AMEMBASSY HARARE 0017
UNCLAS HANOI 000808
PASS TO STATE FOR IO/UNP REBECCA GOLDENBERG AND IO/PSC JEAN CLARK
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM KDEM UNSC ZI XA ZU
SUBJECT: SENIOR VIETNAMESE OFFICIAL SAYS ZIMBABWE SITUATION NO
THREAT TO REGIONAL STABILITY
REF: A) STATE 74375
1. (SBU) On July 11, the Ambassador met with Vietnamese Vice
Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh to deliver Ref. A points
on the UNSC resolution on Zimbabwe. Minh said he read the
U.S.-sponsored draft resolution "carefully." Hanoi has concluded
that the situation in Zimbabwe is not a threat to peace and security
in Africa and as such does not support the U.S.-sponsored
resolution, he stated. In response, the Ambassador pointed out that
some 25 percent of Zimbabwe's population appears to have fled the
country and this is causing strain in the region. Minh replied that
Hanoi has "no interests at stake" in Zimbabwe, but it has encouraged
the two sides to talk.
2. (SBU) The Vice Foreign Minister also complained that Washington
had not sufficiently consulted Hanoi in crafting the UNSC
resolution. Giving the Government of Vietnam only 24 hours to
consider this resolution before putting it to a vote is "abnormal,"
he added. Minh asserted that, in the future, Washington should give
Hanoi more time to consider UNSC resolutions.
3. Minimize considered.
MICHALAK
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