Cablegate: Vietnam Confirms Participation in 2008 U.S.-Vietnam Labor

VZCZCXRO6584
RR RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHHI #1084 2630904
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 190904Z SEP 08
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8495
INFO RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH 5130
RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE
RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS HANOI 001084

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/MLS FOR MBROWN AND DRL
USDOL FOR DUS PONTICELLI AND ZHAO
USTR FOR BISBEE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ELAB ETRD EAID ECON VM
SUBJECT: VIETNAM CONFIRMS PARTICIPATION IN 2008 U.S.-VIETNAM LABOR
DIALOGUE

1. On September 19, 2008, Embassy Hanoi received a letter from Vice
Minister Huynh Thi Nhan, of the Vietnam Ministry of Labor, Invalids
and Social Affairs (MOLISA), confirming participation in this year's
U.S.-Vietnam Labor Dialogue, tentatively scheduled for October 17,
2008 in Washington, DC.

2. Vice Minister Nhan proposes that the upcoming Dialogue focus on
labor relations, collective bargaining and a request for assistance
on Labor Code reform. Original text of the letter, in the original
translation, follows.

3. BEGIN TEXT OF LETTER:

Hanoi, 16 September 2008

Dear Madame Charlotte Ponticelli,

I would like to thank you for your letter dated 29/8/2008 welcoming
the MOLISA Delegation to Washington DC to attend the next session of
the Vietnam-U.S. Labor Dialogue.

Regarding the time, we would like to propose October 17, 2008 as the
official date of the Dialogue. For the topic of the Dialogue, we
would like to suggest focusing on labor relations, experience in
building collective bargaining agreements, labor dispute prevention,
and resolution practice and mediation models. We would like to
discuss possible technical assistance for the revision of the
Vietnam Labor Code and technical cooperation in the fields of
occupational safety and health and social insurance.

Our International Cooperation Department will keep contact with your
staff, as well as the US Embassy in Vietnam, to follow up this
event.

We believe with our commitment to strengthen Vietnam-U.S. relations
in the labor field, more and more cooperation activities will be
opened in the coming time.

I take this opportunity to wish you good health and success.

Yours sincerely,
Huynh Thi Nhan
Standing Vice Minister

END TEXT OF LETTER

MICHALAK

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