Cablegate: Petrovietnam and the Iran Sanctions Act

VZCZCXRO5163
RR RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHFK RUEHHM RUEHKSO RUEHNAG RUEHNH RUEHPB
DE RUEHHI #1292 3360902
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 020900Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0515
INFO ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE
ASIAN PACIFIC ECONOMIC COOPERATION
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 0001
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0045
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 0001
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0031
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0001
RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY 0221
RUEHKL/AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR 0032
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 0036
RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID 0007
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 0001
RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO 0001
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 0001
RUEHSM/AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM 0001
RUEHTC/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE 0004
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 0033
RUEHVB/AMEMBASSY ZAGREB 0001
RUEHVI/AMEMBASSY VIENNA 0001

UNCLAS AMEMBASSY HANOI 001292

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON ENRG EPET ETTC IR PREL VM
SUBJECT: PETROVIETNAM AND THE IRAN SANCTIONS ACT

REF: STATE 121808 "IRAN SANCTIONS ACT: REPORTED INVESTMENT IN THE
IRANIAN OIL AND GAS SECTOR"

1. (SBU) Upon receipt of reftel regarding investment in the Iranian
energy sector by foreign companies, including PetroVietnam,
Ambassador on November 27 in a previously scheduled meeting
delivered reftel points to Ms. Nguyet Nguyen Nga, MFA Director
General of Multilateral Economic Cooperation. Nga did not offer
any immediate comment.

2. (SBU) On December 1, Economic Counselor delivered reftel points
to Mr. Hoang Ngoc Trung, Deputy General Manager of PetroVietnam's
Legal and International Relations Division. Trung stated that this
was a "sensitive" issue, but noted that PetroVietnam appreciated
the extensive cooperation with U.S. energy companies doing business
in Vietnam. He asked for a letter to PetroVietnam's President/CEO
requesting the information about PetroVietnam's projects in Iran.
Embassy sent a letter, and Trung confirmed receipt on Dec. 1. He
said PetroVietnam would respond as soon as possible.

3. (SBU) On December 2, Economic Counselor delivered reftel points
to Mr. Le Chi Dzung, MFA Deputy Director General of the Americas
Department. In response to his question, we confirmed that other
countries and companies were receiving a similar request. Mr.
Dzung stated that the overall US-VN relationship is very good, and
that issues should be addressed in a candid and constructive
manner. He said that Vietnam was familiar with the Iran issue given
its current membership on the U.N. Security Council. He added that
PetroVietnam would likely consult with MFA about a matter of
international relations, especially concerning the U.S., but
ultimately, he said, it is up to individual companies to decide how
much information to share with the U.S. government.

4. (SBU) Embassy will follow-up with PetroVietnam and MFA regarding
the information requested reftel about PetroVietnam's investments
in Iran's energy sector.

MICHALAK
Michalak

© Scoop Media