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Viewing cable 07VIENTIANE490, 2007 Report on Investment Disputes and Expropriation

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
07VIENTIANE490 2007-06-13 07:33 2011-08-25 00:00 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Vientiane
VZCZCXRO3569
RR RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHVN #0490/01 1640733
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 130733Z JUN 07
FM AMEMBASSY VIENTIANE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1312
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 VIENTIANE 000490 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
FOR EAP/MLS - BESTIC 
FOR EB/IFD/OIA GOETHERT 
FOR L/CID McDONALD 
FOR CA/OCS/EAP - VAUSE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: CASC ECON EINV KIDE OPIC PGOV PREL LA
SUBJECT:  2007 Report on Investment Disputes and Expropriation 
Claims for Laos 
 
Ref: State 55422 
 
1.  The Embassy is unaware of any changes to the below noted 
disputes since submission of the 2006 report.  Please note the 
Embassy no longer has contact information for the Claimants. 
 
2.  a.  Claimant A 
 
   b.  1991 
 
   c.  According to Claimant's attorney, Claimant  asserts that he 
entered into a joint venture agreement with the GOL in 1989 to 
develop hotel and tourist properties.  The parties amended the lease 
agreement in 1990 at the GOL's request, to substitute the property 
originally agreed upon for properties near the Lang Xang Hotel, near 
the Mekong River.  Claimant A further asserts that in 1991 the GOL 
requested a $200,000 loan to assist in moving 20 families squatting 
on the premises, and then terminated the joint venture lease when 
Claimant refused to forward the money. 
 
  Claimant A's attorney met with GOL officials in Vientiane in May 
1997 to discuss an amicable resolution of the dispute, but on June 
30, 1997, Claimant A filed suit in Federal District Court, Portland, 
Maine.  In May 1998, the U.S. Embassy sent a diplomatic note to the 
Lao Ministry of Foreign Affairs containing procedural questions on 
the deposition of witnesses in Laos for use in the case.  The 
Ministry responded to the note in July 1998.  According to Claimant 
A's lawyer, the court case was dismissed without prejudice on 
Claimant A's motion in the spring or summer of 1998.  After 
dismissal, Claimant A's attorney informed the U.S. Embassy that a 
European government, which he declined to identify, had offered to 
mediate the claim.  Although the GOL reportedly refused such 
mediation, the attorney believed the GOL might change its position. 
The U.S. Government is aware of no recent action on this claim. 
Claimant A has not recently communicated with the Embassy on the 
status of this claim, and the Embassy no longer has any contact 
information for Claimant A. 
 
3.   a.  Claimant B 
 
 b.  2000 
 
c.  Claimant B signed a Cooperation Agreement with the GOL in 1992 
to explore and mine gold and in 1993 was granted a twenty-year 
mining license and a 10 square kilometer concession in Phaphon, Pak 
Ou District, Luang Prabang Province.  Claimant B reports investing 
over $10 million in the mining project. 
 
 In 1995, Claimant B subcontracted with a Chinese company to perform 
mining and extraction services at one of its sites.  The 
sub-contractor refused to leave the site after the contract expired 
and claims to have a contract dispute with Claimant B.  Between 1995 
and 2000, Claimant B made repeated representations to the GOL to 
remove the sub-contractor from the site, to no avail.  Claimant B 
was unable to access and work at the site due to its occupation by 
the former sub-contractor.  During this period, the Embassy sent 
several letters under cover of diplomatic notes to high-ranking Lao 
officials, noting U.S. Government concern about Claimant B's 
situation.  None of these letters were answered.  Embassy personnel 
also raised the case with Lao officials in the central government 
and in the province.  In 2000, the Lao PDR government accused 
Claimant B of various "mistakes," including violations of the 
concession agreement and of Lao law, and incorrect reporting of 
financial information.  Lao authorities repeatedly required Claimant 
B to appear for questioning and to provide additional documentation, 
sometimes at short notice.  In early 2001, Claimant B left Laos and 
reportedly was consulting with American attorneys regarding possible 
legal options.  The Embassy has not heard from Claimant A since 2003 
and has no current contact information. 
 
3.   a.  Claimant C 
 
b.  2000 
 
c.  Claimant C, a U.S. citizen, owns a 12 percent share in a mining 
company in Laos.  The company's majority investors are from Denmark 
and New Zealand.  Claimant C has not taken an active part in the 
management of the company.  In 1994, the company signed a concession 
agreement with the Lao government for a sapphire mine in Bokeo 
province.  In 1999, the government appointed an ad hoc committee to 
investigate internal disputes concerning claims by other parties to 
ownership of the company. 
 The Lao government reported that the company had provided false 
financial information and caused environmental damage, among other 
problems.  In December 1999, the company received a notice from the 
government suspending its export of raw and semi-processed 
 
VIENTIANE 00000490  002 OF 002 
 
 
sapphires, the company's main source of income.  In April 2000, the 
government notified the company that it was terminating the 
concession agreement.  The majority investors left the country. 
 
 The majority investors subsequently were accused of criminal 
misconduct in the operation of their business.  In November 2000, 
the company informed Lao government officials that it would not 
continue to attempt to resolve the dispute through negotiations and 
instead would file a lawsuit against the Lao government.  The 
majority investors were convicted in absentia in February 2001, and 
sentenced to 20 years imprisonment and fined $55 million in damages. 
 No action has been taken against Claimant C.  Claimant C informed 
the Department of State that he intends to request the assistance of 
the U.S. Congress and U.S. Government and was considering taking his 
own legal action against the Lao government.  The Embassy has not 
recently been contacted by Claimant C and has no current contact 
information. 
 
 
 
MCGEEHAN