Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 97115 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
ETRD EAGR ETTC EAID ECON EFIN ECIN EINV ELAB EAIR ENRG EPET EWWT ECPS EIND EMIN ELTN EC ETMIN EUC EZ ET ELECTIONS ENVR EU EUN EG EINT ER ECONOMICS ES EMS ENIV EEB EN ECE ECOSOC EK ENVIRONMENT EFIS EI EWT ENGRD ECPSN EXIM EIAD ERIN ECPC EDEV ENGY ECTRD EPA ESTH ECCT EINVECON ENGR ERTD EUR EAP EWWC ELTD EL EXIMOPIC EXTERNAL ETRDEC ESCAP ECO EGAD ELNT ECONOMIC ENV ETRN EIAR EUMEM ENRGPARMOTRASENVKGHGPGOVECONTSPLEAID EREL ECOM ECONETRDEAGRJA ETCC ETRG ECONOMY EMED ETR ENERG EITC EFINOECD EURM EENG ERA EXPORT ENRD ECONEINVETRDEFINELABETRDKTDBPGOVOPIC EGEN EBRD EVIN ETRAD ECOWAS EFTA ECONETRDBESPAR EGOVSY EPIN EID ECONENRG EDRC ESENV ETT EB ENER ELTNSNAR ECHEVARRIA ETRC EPIT EDUC ESA EFI ENRGY ESCI EE EAIDXMXAXBXFFR EETC ECIP EIAID EIVN EBEXP ESTN EING EGOV ETRA EPETEIND ELAN ETRDGK EAIDRW ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS EPEC ENVI ELN EAG EPCS EPRT EPTED ETRB EUM EAIDS EFIC EFINECONEAIDUNGAGM EAIDAR ESF EIDN ELAM EDU EV EAIDAF ECN EDA EXBS EINTECPS ENRGTRGYETRDBEXPBTIOSZ EPREL EAC EINVEFIN ETA EAGER EINDIR ECA ECLAC ELAP EITI EUCOM ECONEFINETRDPGOVEAGRPTERKTFNKCRMEAID EARG ELDIN EINVKSCA ENNP EFINECONCS EFINTS ECCP ETC EAIRASECCASCID EINN ETRP EAIDNI EFQ ECOQKPKO EGPHUM EBUD ECONEINVEFINPGOVIZ ENERGY ELB EINDETRD EMI ECONEFIN EIB EURN ETRDEINVTINTCS EIN EFIM ETIO ELAINE EMN EATO EWTR EIPR EINVETC ETTD ETDR EIQ ECONCS EPPD ENRGIZ EISL ESPINOSA ELEC EAIG ESLCO EUREM ENTG ERD EINVECONSENVCSJA EEPET EUNCH ECINECONCS ETRO ETRDECONWTOCS ECUN EFND EPECO EAIRECONRP ERGR ETRDPGOV ECPN ENRGMO EPWR EET EAIS EAGRE EDUARDO EAGRRP EAIDPHUMPRELUG EICN ECONQH EVN EGHG ELBR EINF EAIDHO EENV ETEX ERNG ED
KMDR KPAO KPKO KJUS KCRM KGHG KFRD KWMN KDEM KTFN KHIV KGIC KIDE KSCA KNNP KHUM KIPR KSUM KISL KIRF KCOR KRCM KPAL KWBG KN KS KOMC KSEP KFLU KPWR KTIA KSEO KMPI KHLS KICC KSTH KMCA KVPR KPRM KE KU KZ KFLO KSAF KTIP KTEX KBCT KOCI KOLY KOR KAWC KACT KUNR KTDB KSTC KLIG KSKN KNN KCFE KCIP KGHA KHDP KPOW KUNC KDRL KV KPREL KCRS KPOL KRVC KRIM KGIT KWIR KT KIRC KOMO KRFD KUWAIT KG KFIN KSCI KTFIN KFTN KGOV KPRV KSAC KGIV KCRIM KPIR KSOC KBIO KW KGLB KMWN KPO KFSC KSEAO KSTCPL KSI KPRP KREC KFPC KUNH KCSA KMRS KNDP KR KICCPUR KPPAO KCSY KTBT KCIS KNEP KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KNNB KGCC KINR KPOP KMFO KENV KNAR KVIR KDRG KDMR KFCE KNAO KDEN KGCN KICA KIMMITT KMCC KLFU KMSG KSEC KUM KCUL KMNP KSMT KCOM KOMCSG KSPR KPMI KRAD KIND KCRP KAUST KWAWC KTER KCHG KRDP KPAS KITA KTSC KPAOPREL KWGB KIRP KJUST KMIG KLAB KTFR KSEI KSTT KAPO KSTS KLSO KWNN KPOA KHSA KNPP KPAONZ KBTS KWWW KY KJRE KPAOKMDRKE KCRCM KSCS KWMNCI KESO KWUN KPLS KIIP KEDEM KPAOY KRIF KGICKS KREF KTRD KFRDSOCIRO KTAO KJU KWMNPHUMPRELKPAOZW KEN KO KNEI KEMR KKIV KEAI KWAC KRCIM KWCI KFIU KWIC KCORR KOMS KNNO KPAI KBWG KTTB KTBD KTIALG KILS KFEM KTDM KESS KNUC KPA KOMCCO KCEM KRCS KWBGSY KNPPIS KNNPMNUC KWN KERG KLTN KALM KCCP KSUMPHUM KREL KGH KLIP KTLA KAWK KWMM KVRP KVRC KAID KSLG KDEMK KX KIF KNPR KCFC KFTFN KTFM KPDD KCERS KMOC KDEMAF KMEPI KEMS KDRM KEPREL KBTR KEDU KNP KIRL KNNR KMPT KISLPINR KTPN KA KJUSTH KPIN KDEV KTDD KAKA KFRP KWNM KTSD KINL KJUSKUNR KWWMN KECF KWBC KPRO KVBL KOM KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KEDM KFLD KLPM KRGY KNNF KICR KIFR KM KWMNCS KAWS KLAP KPAK KDDG KCGC KID KNSD KMPF KPFO KDP KCMR KRMS KNPT KNNNP KTIAPARM KDTB KNUP KPGOV KNAP KNNC KUK KSRE KREISLER KIVP KQ KTIAEUN KPALAOIS KRM KISLAO KWM KFLOA
PHUM PINR PTER PGOV PREL PREF PL PM PHSA PE PARM PINS PK PUNE PO PALESTINIAN PU PBTS PROP PTBS POL POLI PA PGOVZI POLMIL POLITICAL PARTIES POLM PD POLITICS POLICY PAS PMIL PINT PNAT PV PKO PPOL PERSONS PING PBIO PH PETR PARMS PRES PCON PETERS PRELBR PT PLAB PP PAK PDEM PKPA PSOCI PF PLO PTERM PJUS PSOE PELOSI PROPERTY PGOVPREL PARP PRL PNIR PHUMKPAL PG PREZ PGIC PBOV PAO PKK PROV PHSAK PHUMPREL PROTECTION PGOVBL PSI PRELPK PGOVENRG PUM PRELKPKO PATTY PSOC PRIVATIZATION PRELSP PGOVEAIDUKNOSWGMHUCANLLHFRSPITNZ PMIG PREC PAIGH PROG PSHA PARK PETER POG PHUS PPREL PS PTERPREL PRELPGOV POV PKPO PGOVECON POUS PGOVPRELPHUMPREFSMIGELABEAIDKCRMKWMN PWBG PMAR PREM PAR PNR PRELPGOVEAIDECONEINVBEXPSCULOIIPBTIO PARMIR PGOVGM PHUH PARTM PN PRE PTE PY POLUN PPEL PDOV PGOVSOCI PIRF PGOVPM PBST PRELEVU PGOR PBTSRU PRM PRELKPAOIZ PGVO PERL PGOC PAGR PMIN PHUMR PVIP PPD PGV PRAM PINL PKPAL PTERE PGOF PINO PHAS PODC PRHUM PHUMA PREO PPA PEPFAR PGO PRGOV PAC PRESL PORG PKFK PEPR PRELP PREFA PNG PGOVPHUMKPAO PRELECON PINOCHET PFOR PGOVLO PHUMBA PRELC PREK PHUME PHJM POLINT PGOVPZ PGOVKCRM PGOVE PHALANAGE PARTY PECON PEACE PROCESS PLN PRELSW PAHO PEDRO PRELA PASS PPAO PGPV PNUM PCUL PGGV PSA PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA PGIV PRFE POGOV PEL PBT PAMQ PINF PSEPC POSTS PHUMPGOV PVOV PHSAPREL PROLIFERATION PENA PRELTBIOBA PIN PRELL PGOVPTER PHAM PHYTRP PTEL PTERPGOV PHARM PROTESTS PRELAF PKBL PRELKPAO PKNP PARMP PHUML PFOV PERM PUOS PRELGOV PHUMPTER PARAGRAPH PERURENA PBTSEWWT PCI PETROL PINSO PINSCE PQL PEREZ PBS

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 05HANOI567, Vietnam: Status of Key WTO legislation

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #05HANOI567.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
05HANOI567 2005-03-08 09:39 2011-08-25 00:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Hanoi
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 000567 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE PLEASE PASS TO USTR EBRYAN, GHICKS 
STATE ALSO FOR E, EB AND EAP/BCLTV 
STATE PASS USAID FOR CHAPLIN/ANE 
USDOC FOR 4430/MAC/ASIA/OPB/VLC/HPPHO 
GENEVA FOR USTR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETRD ECON VM IPROP WTO
SUBJECT: Vietnam: Status of Key WTO legislation 
 
Ref:  Hanoi 0017 
 
1. (SBU) Summary:  On March 3, the Ambassador hosted a lunch 
with staff and consultants of the USAID-funded Support for 
Trade AcceleRation (STAR) Project and representatives of the 
European Union to discuss the status of GVN efforts to 
accede to the WTO.  The following is a summary of STAR 
technical assistance on key pieces of WTO-related 
legislation.  Other aspects of the discussion will be 
reported septel.  For a broader overview of ongoing STAR 
technical assistance on implementation of the U.S.-Vietnam 
Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) and WTO accession, see 
reftel.  End Summary. 
 
2. (SBU) On March 3, the Ambassador hosted a lunch with 
staff and consultants of the USAID-funded Support for Trade 
AcceleRation (STAR) Project and representatives of the 
European Union to discuss the status of GVN efforts to 
accede to the WTO.  EU Ambassador Markus Cornaro, EU Trade 
Counselor, Econ/C, USAID Country Manager and Econoff 
(notetaker) also attended the lunch.  The STAR team said 
that the GVN is currently undertaking an "amazing amount" of 
legal reform and STAR is providing assistance on about 
twenty laws and regulations.  Several STAR consultants are 
in Vietnam now providing the GVN assistance on laws likely 
to be passed by the National Assembly (NA) this year. 
Following are their comments: 
 
Customs 
------- 
 
3. (SBU) Stuart Seidel, an attorney with Baker & McKenzie 
and a former Assistant Commissioner of U.S. Customs, is 
working as a STAR consultant assisting the GVN with Customs 
reform.  According to Seidel, the 2002 Customs Law and 
subsequent implementing regulations passed by the GVN have 
established a good framework for implementation of the WTO 
Customs Valuation Agreement (CVA).  However, implementation 
of the CVA has raised serious concerns within the GVN about 
loss of revenues, due in large part to under-invoicing by 
importers.  The GVN's current inability to address this 
problem is due primarily to a lack of adequate post- 
clearance audit procedures.  STAR is working with the 
General Department of Customs (GDC) on revisions to the 
Customs Law.  Although the NA is scheduled to approve 
revisions to the law in May, it is very likely approval will 
be delayed until November according to Seidel. 
 
4. (SBU) STAR is also assisting GVN efforts to amend the Law 
on Import and Export Duties, which deals with the process of 
collecting tariff and other trade tax revenues.  STAR 
recently supported a seminar in HCMC on this legislation and 
has provided comments on the draft amendments.  Seidel noted 
that STAR is working to ensure there is a high level of 
coordination between the drafting teams working on the Law 
on Import and Export Duties and on the Customs Law. 
 
5. (SBU) In terms of WTO accession, Seidel said that the two 
most problematic customs-related issues the GVN needs to 
address in the immediate term are 1) the lack of effective 
enforcement of border measures protecting intellectual 
property and 2) the lack of adequate procedures for 
administrative review of customs decisions.  Seidel noted, 
however, that Vietnam has made significant reforms on 
customs and the "whole mindset" of Vietnamese Customs 
officials has changed.  He expressed optimism that Vietnam 
is "well on its way" to meeting WTO customs obligations. 
 
Commercial Transactions 
----------------------- 
 
6. (SBU) Claude Rohwer, Associate Dean of the McGeorge Law 
School at Pacific University, is a STAR consultant providing 
technical assistance to the GVN on establishing a strong 
legal framework for commercial transactions.  In Vietnam, 
commercial transactions are governed by three key pieces of 
legislation:  the Civil Code, the Commercial Law and the 
Ordinance on Economic Contracts.  According to Rohwer, 
although accession to the WTO may not specifically require 
changes to these laws and regulations, revision of the 
legislation is critical for the establishment and 
functioning of a market economy. STAR is providing the GVN 
with assistance in revising completely both the Civil and 
Commercial Codes.  Rohwer emphasized the need for the GVN to 
broaden the application of the Civil Code to include all 
commercial transactions and to expand the scope of the 
Commercial Law to include trade in services.  STAR has also 
advised the GVN to repeal the outdated Ordinance on Economic 
Contracts. The NA is scheduled to pass amendments to both 
the Civil Code and the Commercial Law in May. 
 
Electronic Transactions 
----------------------- 
 
7. (SBU) Paula Breunig, Legal Council for the Center for 
Democracy and Technology, is consulting with STAR to provide 
assistance to the GVN on passage of an Electronic 
Transactions Law.  STAR technical assistance is focused on 
ensuring that the law is in step with international 
standards for e-transactions; that the law creates an 
enabling environment for e-commerce; and, that the law 
limits (to the extent possible) the State's role in e- 
transactions.  The drafting team (the Science and Technology 
Committee of the NA) is working on the sixth draft of the 
law; the NA is scheduled to review the draft in May and 
approve it in November.  As with the Commercial Law, the 
Star Team pointed out, while the WTO may not specifically 
require passage of an E-Transactions Law, it is a critical 
component of the framework for a market economy. 
 
IPR 
--- 
 
8. (SBU) According to John Bentley, STAR's Chief Legal 
Advisor, the GVN is making progress on drafting a 
comprehensive IPR Law to meet WTO accession requirements. 
The NA is currently scheduled to review the draft law in May 
and approve it in November.  The drafting team, led by the 
Legal Department of the Ministry of Science and Technology 
(MOST), is "very capable" according to Bentley.  STAR is 
also working with the GVN on a new law on the enforcement of 
judgments.  Implementation of this law will improve the 
GVN's ability to enforce judicial decisions on IPR cases and 
other commercial disputes.  The NA is scheduled to pass this 
law in early May 2006. 
 
9. (SBU) Bentley also highlighted that, with assistance from 
STAR, the GVN recently promulgated a new Civil Procedure 
Code (CPC).  The CPC contains important IPR-related 
provisions required by the WTO, including the use of 
provisional measures such as injunctions.  According to 
Bentley, the passage of the CPC was "groundbreaking" for 
Vietnam. 
 
Enterprise and Investment Laws 
------------------------------ 
 
10. (SBU) Fred Burke, Managing Partner for Baker & McKenzie, 
is consulting with STAR to help the GVN draft new, 
comprehensive Enterprise and Investment Laws.  GVN drafters 
recently completed first drafts of both pieces of 
legislation; the NA is scheduled to comment on the laws in 
May 2005 and approve them in the spring of 2006.  However, 
the GVN is now considering whether it is possible to push 
this timeline forward so one or both of these laws can be 
finished by the end of this year. 
 
11. (SBU) According to Burke, while WTO accession might not 
specifically require passage of a new Enterprise Law, this 
legislation is critical for implementing outstanding BTA 
obligations such as enabling U.S. investors to establish 
joint-stock companies in Vietnam.  (Note:  This obligation 
was due in December 2004.  End Note.)  Failure to meet BTA 
obligations in a timely manner will send negative signals to 
the business community and others regarding the GVN's 
ability to implement WTO obligations after accession, Burke 
added.  The Investment Law, on the other hand, will contain 
critical provisions specifically required for WTO accession, 
including application of the Trade-Related Investment 
Measures (TRIMs) Agreement and procedures for implementing 
market access commitments for both goods and services.  It 
is important for the GVN to complete the Investment Law 
prior to accession, the Star Team stressed. 
 
MARINE