Cablegate: Vietnam Expresses Support for Somalia Pko, but Must

VZCZCXRO6504
OO RUEHHM
DE RUEHHI #1409 3650512
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 300512Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY HANOI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8942
INFO RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH PRIORITY 5440
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0255

UNCLAS HANOI 001409

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

FOR IO/PSC(KHAMBATTA), AF/E (GAREY), EAP/MLS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL UNSC KPKO PHSA SO VM

SUBJECT: VIETNAM EXPRESSES SUPPORT FOR SOMALIA PKO, BUT MUST
CONSIDER SPECIFICS

REF: STATE 134229

1. (SBU) On December 30, Deputy PolCouns met with Ngo Thi Xuan Ha
of the MFA's International Organizations Division to urge Vietnam to
support the U.S.-sponsored resolution authorizing a peacekeeping
operation for Somalia. Building on an earlier conversation between
the Ambassador and VFM Pham Binh Minh, DPolCouns stressed, per
reftel, that failure to authorize the PKO would leave a dangerous
security vacuum, undo much of the political progress achieved in
recent months, and have serious negative consequences for the
humanitarian situation. He emphasized that the current draft
accommodates the concerns of the Secretary General and P5 members
France, England, and Russia, which had earlier voiced reservations.

2. (SBU) Ms. Ha promised to pass along the substance of the
demarche, along with the resolution's text, to her superiors. She
affirmed that Vietnam strongly supports the peace process in
Somalia, including proposals by the Secretary General to strengthen
AMISOM and "re-hat" it under the UN. At the same time, Ha said that
the situation in Somalia is "delicate," particularly with the
December 29 resignation of the President of Somalia's Transitional
Federal Government. In determining whether to support the
U.S.-sponsored UNISOM resolution in its current form, Vietnam must
consider whether the specific terms of the resolution best support
the Secretary General's aims.

MICHALAK

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