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### Viewing cable 04HANOI923, JOINT RESEARCH ON HEALTH/ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF

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Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
04HANOI923 | 2004-04-02 01:25 | 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 08 HANOI 000923

    SIPDIS

    SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED

    DEPT FOR EAP/BCLTV (EDUNLAP), OES/STC (BPERRY),
         STAS (GATKINSON), EAP/RSP, EAP/PD, AND OES/PCI
    DEPT PASS HHS FOR OGHA/STEIGER; NIH/FIC/GKEUSCH;
         NIH/NIEHS/KOLDEN, ASASSAMAN; CDC/OGH/BLOUNT;
         CDC/CEH/SINKS, BARRETT, NEEDHAM; FDA/OIA/WBATTS
    DEPT PASS USAID FOR G/ENV, G/H
    DEPT PASS EPA FOR ORD/WFARLAND
    DEPT PASS OSTP FOR WGAINES
    BANGKOK FOR REO
    SECDEF ALSO FOR ISA/AP/LSTERN AND ES/WVAN HOUTEN
    USDA FOR FAA/AO/SSAP/HEUTE, ITP/ODA/SHEIKH
    NSC FOR BEARDSWORTH

    E.O. 12958: N/A
    TAGS: SENV PREL TBIO VM
    SUBJECT:  JOINT RESEARCH ON HEALTH/ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF
    AGENT ORANGE/DIOXIN - UPDATED STATUS REPORT

    SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY

    REF:  USDAO U-066-04, dated 01 March 2004

    ¶1.  (U)  This is an action cable.  Embassy recommends that
    the USG Agent Orange/Dioxin Interagency Working Group meet
    to review and discuss the contents of this cable.

    ¶2.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  More than two years after the March 2002
    signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to address
    joint research on health, environmental and ecological
    effects of dioxin and Agent Orange in Vietnam, U.S. and
    Vietnamese researchers have made some tangible progress in
    the one environmental research project being conducted at a
    dioxin "hot spot" in Da Nang Airbase.  The only progress in
    health research, however, has been to budge the Vietnamese
    bureaucracy to review, but not yet approve, the one small
    pilot case control study to evaluate some birth defects.
    Highlights of activities and events over the past 12 months
    include the following.

        --Environment:  Since October 2001, the U.S.
    Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and the Vietnam
    Academy of Science and Technology (VAST) (formerly, the
    National Center for Natural Sciences and Technology - NCST)
    have been engaged in a collaborative program.  The program
    is designed to characterize the nature of dioxin
    contamination in soil and to select remediation methods
    suitable to the task as well as to GVN budget constraints
    and the target 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (2,3,7,8-
    TCDD) concentrations in soil established by the GVN.  To
    date, the collaboration is moving forward with the
    installation of the Gas Chromatograph/Mass Spectrometer
    (GC/MS) at VAST planned for spring 2004 and development of
    the site characterization plan for the dioxin "hot spot" in
    Da Nang.

        --Health:  In January 2003, NIEHS approved funding for
    the State University of New York at Albany (Albany
    University) in collaboration with Vietnam's Ministry of
    Health (MOH) to conduct a small pilot case control study to
    evaluate some birth defects with respect to maternal and
    paternal serum 2,3,7,8-TCDD concentrations.  As of March
    2004, the research proposal had undergone "expert" review by
    the MOH, but had not yet reached Vietnam's National Steering
    Committee 33, the interagency entity that controls/approves
    all activities related to Agent Orange.  Post expects a long
    delay in receiving the approval from Committee 33.  In fact,
    we would not be surprised if the Vietnamese make substantive
    changes to the proposal that will be unacceptable to NIEHS.
    In January 2004, NIEHS conveyed to MOH and to Minister of
    Natural Resources and Environment Mai Ai Truc, who serves as
    Chairman of Committee 33, that NIEHS may not be able to hold
    the funds targeted for this project much longer.  The
    funding, approximately USD 3,000,000, has been set aside but
    not released to the vendors.  (COMMENT:  In March 2003,
    Embassy's assessment was that the GVN would attempt to
    control, disrupt, or block any research project that could
    potentially produce scientific evidence that refuted the
    GVN's allegations of broad, catastrophic damage to the
    health of Vietnamese citizens, especially birth defects.
    One year later, this assessment has not been proven wrong.
    Committee 33's response/comments on the health research
    project will provide valuable insights into Vietnamese
    attitudes and intentions.  END COMMENT.)

         -- Lawsuit and Intensified Media Campaign:  In
    conjunction with a lawsuit filed in a New York City court in
    January 2004 by the newly created "Vietnam Association for
    Agent Orange Victims" (VAAOV), the state-run media has been
    running a series of reports about Agent Orange "victims" and
    showing pictures of children and adults with obvious mental
    and physical disabilities attributing the disabilities to
    Agent Orange.  These and other articles directly state or
    imply that the USG should provide "compensation" or "take
    responsibility" for actions taken during the war, including
    supporting disabled children deemed victims of the war.  The
    media also now is reporting on an online petition sponsored
    by the Britain-Vietnam Friendship Association calling upon
    the U.S. President, government and responsible chemical
    companies to compensate Vietnamese victims of Agent Orange.
    (COMMENT:  The GVN continuously publicly calls upon for the
    U.S. to provide support for alleged Agent Orange victims,
    which it identifies without the backing of scientific
    evidence. These scientifically disingenuous comments may
    make it difficult for the GVN to support results of studies
    which may show these repeated statements false, the GVN's
    health system seriously flawed, and its use of the disabled
    for propaganda cynical. END COMMENT.)

         --Ministry of Defense (MOD) Proposal to U.S. DOD:
    Reftel describes Vietnam MOD's proposal for U.S. DOD
    cooperation to "clean up and decontaminate toxins" -
    AO/dioxin and CS - used during the Vietnam War.  Embassy
    recommends that, if DOD decides to offer any assistance with
    AO/dioxin "hot spots," this assistance should be coordinated
    with USEPA and NIEHS and be focused on supplementing the
    ongoing program at the Da Nang site.  MOD has been a
    participant in that activity, and must continue to
    participate since the site is located on military property.
    MOD's proposal for cooperation on disposal of CS is not
    within the scope of ongoing programs related to AO/Dioxin
    and should be considered as a separate issue.  END SUMMARY

    ¶3.  (U)  Provided below is a detailed review of the status
    of the joint research initiatives and programs conducted by
    USEPA and NIEHS with Vietnamese counterparts, as well as
    opinions/attitudes expressed by key Vietnamese players.

    --------------------------------------------- --------------
    U.S.-Vietnam Scientific Workshop on Methodologies of Dioxin
    Screening, Remediation and Site Characterization
    --------------------------------------------- --------------

    ¶4.  (U) From November 3-5, 2003, a workshop titled "U.S.-
    Vietnam Scientific Workshop on Methodologies of Dioxin
    Screening, Remediation and Site Characterization" was held
    in Hanoi.  The meeting was sponsored by the VAST (formerly
    (NCST) and NIEHS, USEPA, University of California at Davis
    (UC-Davis), Department of Civil and Environmental
    Engineering, Michigan State University (MSU), Office of
    International Studies and Programs, Michigan State
    University and the Ford Foundation.  Its purpose was to
    focus on three avenues of research: (1) development of
    bioanalytical and analytical methods to detect and/or
    estimate the relative biological and toxicological potency
    of samples containing dioxins and related chemicals; (2)
    examination of remediation methods to degrade and/or
    detoxify soil containing dioxins and related chemicals; (3)
    characterization of sites contaminated with dioxins and
    related chemicals; (4) and, development of safety and health
    guidelines to protect individuals working at contaminated
    sites.  Attendance was limited to U.S. and VN participants
    and invited guests.  Participants from VN included
    individuals from VAST, Hanoi National University, Ministry
    of Defense (MOD), Ministry of Health (MOH), Office 33,
    Vietnam Veterans Association, and Ministry of Science and
    Technology.  Participants from the U.S. included individuals
    from USG agencies, universities and private industry.
    ¶5.  (U) During the workshop participants described analytic
    methods suitable for detection or measurement of dioxin in
    soil or other media including immunoassays, cell-based
    assays and chemical methods.  These methods may be used for
    screening for the presence of dioxin, measuring dioxin
    concentration in environmental and biologic media, and
    assessing conger-specific profiles. All may be applied to
    characterize the concentration and location of soil
    contamination.  Remediation approaches appropriate to
    reducing the concentration of contaminants include thermal,
    chemical, or biological degradation or containment and may
    involve one or a combination of methods. The Government of
    Vietnam expressed more interest in remediation methods that
    are less costly and somewhat less effective versus methods
    known to more completely clean up. They are also willing to
    apply less well tested/studied methods, e.g., biodegradation
    and isolation (less well studied and thought to be less
    costly) versus incineration (which has been determined to be
    effective and well-studied).

    ¶6.  (U) The workshop recommendations noted that to identify
    the location(s) and concentration of dioxin in soil of the
    contaminated sites, the Vietnamese scientific and laboratory
    infrastructure must be augmented.  The necessary
    improvements include acquisition of appropriate instruments,
    identification of suitable and cost effective analytical
    methods and training in these methods.  In addition, some
    needs could be met by using existing programs that train
    individuals at the graduate level, e.g., U.S. AID programs
    and the Fogarty International Center.  Development of an
    academic consortium to aid in this process was thought to be
    instrumental in this process.  Recommended members of the
    consortium include UC-Davis, MSU, VAST, Institute of
    Biotechnology, universities and other organizations based in
    Vietnam.  This group would be structured to collaborate on
    research projects, the results of which would be published
    as joint publications in the international peer reviewed
    literature.

    ¶7.  (U) Noteworthy recommendations and comments relevant to
    analytic methods and site characterization included the
    following.  USEPA would provide guidance on geostatistics
    and the selection and purchase of publicly available
    software for site characterization.  USEPA would also assist
    VAST in the development of the experimental design for
    logical bench/pilot testing.  Development of a good
    bioassay, validated by well known analytic methods, is
    critical to be able to analyze larger numbers of samples at
    lower cost.  Selection of remediation technologies should
    take into account both cost and effectiveness and that
    multiple treatment regimens could be utilized to obtain the
    desired treatment effect.  The types of treatment technology
    may differ based on the concentration and dispersal of
    contamination, e.g., concentrated (localized)  contamination
    versus dispersed contamination.  An international conference
    to describe and discuss the array of the most appropriate
    remediation technologies is necessary for the planning
    process.  The areas targeted for remediation are Da Nang
    airport, Bien Hoa Airport and Phu Cat.  USEPA and others
    would provide to Vietnamese partners occupational safety and
    health technology and information from publicly available
    websites, e.g., NIOSH, OSHA, ILO, WHO, and others; evaluate
    the possibility of translating suitable information and
    training materials into Vietnamese; and develop training and
    evaluation programs for researchers and site workers.  This
    will require working with partners in Vietnam - these
    individuals have not yet been identified.  Share existing
    technology for protecting workers employed to clean up
    contaminated waste sites.

    ¶8.  (U) The remediation cleanup standard accepted by GVN is
    1000 ppt (parts per trillion) for non-agricultural use
    (military or industrial) and is 100 ppt for agricultural or
    residential use.  The GVN has agreed that the targeted goal
    for "cleanup" for Da Nang is 1000 ppt, 2378-TCDD, and that
    the target for completion of the clean up/remediation of Da
    Nang is 2005.

    --------------------------------------------- ----------
    USEPA Collaboration with Vietnam Academy of Science and
    Technology (VAST)
    --------------------------------------------- -----------

    ¶9.  (U) Since October 2001, the USEPA has collaborated with
    VAST to transfer analytical technologies and training and to
    build laboratory capacity at VAST.  These activities
    included assistance in the selection of appropriate
    analytical techniques to detect concentration of dioxin in
    soil, provision of training to VAST scientists in Hawaii on
    the selected analytic techniques, and the transfer of a
    functioning high resolution GC/MS from the United States,
    glassware and reagents to Vietnam at no cost to VAST or the
    Government of Vietnam.

    ¶10.  (U) In a follow-up meeting on November 7, 2003, with
    Dr. Dang Vu Minh, President of the Vietnam Academy of
    Science and Technology, Dr. William Farland, Acting Deputy
    Assistant Administrator for Science, Office of Research and
    Development, USEPA, described the status of the USEPA-VAST
    collaboration.  He reported that USEPA is installing the
    CALUX Assay at VAST and that USEPA is providing VAST
    capacity (financial support) to purchase 1500 CALUX tests
    over the next 2 years and the necessary training and
    consultations.  USEPA is purchasing a license for the CALUX
    Assay. The CALUX assay is a short-term test that can
    identify the presence of 2,3,7,8-TCDD in soil.  Once
    obtained, the license will be transferred to VAST.  There is
    precedence for a U.S. agency to award such a contract for
    the benefit of another country.  The license will also
    include training of Vietnamese scientists on the CALUX and
    expert consultation for two years.  Although the USEPA will
    provide 2 years of support and sufficient capacity to
    analyze 1500 soil samples with CALUX, they will not act as
    mediator once the license is obtained for VAST.  In January
    2004, USEPA awarded the contract for the installation and
    calibration of the GCMS.  If all goes according to plan, the
    GCMS should be operational by the middle of April 2004.

    ¶11.  (U) USEPA is also working with VAST to design the site
    characterization plan for sampling at the Da Nang Airport
    site.  The following activities are to be completed prior to
    finalization of the plan:  complete analysis and preparation
    of the report on ten soil samples for dioxin levels analyzed
    in Vietnam and U.S.; develop Da Nang Site Characterization
    Plan; obtain site Access and permission to sample; obtain
    site Map with GPS coordinates; develop sampling design and
    sampling grid; develop plans for sampling and analysis
    (phased design), quality assurance/quality control, health
    and safety program (heat, chemical, UXO hazards); develop
    plans for sample preparation/archiving, sample analysis,
    data analysis, evaluation and interpretation of results.
    Currently, the tasks listed above are being developed but
    have not been completed or vetted by all collaborating
    parties.  The next steps in the process include:
    identification of mechanisms for further training/experience
    with analytical techniques; transfer of CALUX Assay
    capability including further training and sampling capacity
    and training of VAST staff on the GC/MS.

    ¶12.  (U) Discussions about how and where to take samples at
    the Da Nang site identified the following issues:  USEPA
    volunteered to identify and provide new GIS software to map
    the contaminated site and to accurately position sampling
    locations.  Surface sampling and sampling of streams flowing
    from the site was more important than deep sampling because,
    although dioxin contamination may be as deep as one meter,
    streams move contaminated surface soil from the site to
    other areas, including lakes.  Deep contamination is less
    likely to be disturbed.  Before any samples can be taken at
    any site it is necessary to obtain permission from the MOD.
    Dr. Minh indicated that he would help smooth the way.  We do
    not know if this has happened.  USEPA and NIEHS
    representatives suggest that Vietnam consider preserving a
    part of the contaminated area as a "natural resource".  This
    area would not be part of the remediated area, but would be
    used to pilot test new remediation methods as they are
    developed.

    ¶13.  (U) A number of reputable laboratories have developed
    validated techniques for analysis of dioxins and related
    chemicals contained in a variety of media, e.g, soil, serum,
    tissue, plant material.  Dr. Minh said VAST will focus first
    on gaining expertise for techniques for the analysis of
    dioxin in soil, food or other media where dioxin
    concentrations are moderate.  He indicated that analysis of
    medium containing low concentration of dioxins, such as in
    human serum, is difficult to conduct and takes considerable
    experience.  In addition, prior to analyzing the
    concentration of dioxins, it must be abstracted from the
    medium.  Currently, VAST does not have the facilities to
    extract dioxin from soil and need to have more extensive
    extraction process for analysis by GCMS.  Dr. Farland
    indicated that USEPA might be able to bring someone to
    Vietnam from the USEPA who is knowledgeable in extraction
    methods to train the Vietnamese scientists in the
    methodology.  Dr. Minh also noted that he wants VAST to
    build capacity at the remediation site, e.g., Da Nang that
    is to establish a mobile testing lab.  The CALUX assay has
    been validated under field conditions, and, thus can be
    performed at the site.

    ¶14.  (U) In 2002, VAST and USEPA scientists took soil
    samples from the Da Nang site to begin the characterization
    process and to begin training VAST scientists on the short-
    term assays, e.g., CALUX and immunobioassays.  Split samples
    were shipped to the U.S. and analyzed by GCMS for a number
    of analytes including dioxins and furans.  The USEPA
    produced a complete report.  VAST was supposed to have the
    split samples kept by the Vietnamese analyzed at an
    independent laboratory; however, this was not accomplished
    due to the lack of funding.
    ¶15.  (U) VAST and USEPA set a tentative date for the
    inauguration of the HRGC/MS and site characterization at the
    Da Nang airport for the first week in April 2004.  This may
    not happen in this time frame for several reasons.  The
    installation and calibration of the HRGC/MS was delayed due
    the refusal of the installation contractor to travel to
    Vietnam due to the Avian Influenza outbreak and the need for
    extra paperwork to import a pump oil.

    --------------------------------------------- ------------
    Request from Committee 33 for Report of Past and Proposed
    Activities of USEPA and VAST
    --------------------------------------------- ------------

    ¶16.  (SBU) On March 4, 2004, Dr. Ha informed Embassy Health
    Attache, that Minister Truc requested an accounting of all
    work that had been accomplished on Project 2, the site
    characterization and remediation methods development
    project, and what was planned, including the amount spent on
    the project and the amount planned to be spent. Scientists
    from the USEPA are preparing the U.S. report based on
    detailed project meeting reports.  VAST scientists also
    explained that the funding information from the U.S. would
    permit the GVN to provide similar funding to VAST.  The date
    for completion of the report is open.  However, it appears
    that Committee 33 might not permit the Da Nang project to
    move forward until this document is received.

    --------------------------------------------- ---------
    Activities related to NIEHS-funded Birth Defects Study
    --------------------------------------------- ---------

    ¶17.  (SBU) On November 8, 2003, Dr. Anne Sassaman, Director,
    Extramural Grant Program, NIEHS, and Embassy Health Attache,
    and Embassy EST Officer met with Minister Truc, Minister of
    Natural Resources and the Environment and Chairperson of
    Committee 33.  Dr. Sassaman requested the meeting because of
    the very long delays in the GVN review of the proposal and
    the resulting delay in the start of the study.  Minister
    Truc said he has the responsibility to coordinate all
    stakeholders in order to have a scientific assessment of the
    consequences of Agent Orange in Vietnam.  He continued by
    saying, "Everything must be done on a scientific basis," and
    expressed appreciation for the contribution of U.S.
    scientists.  Dr. Sassaman said that the USG wanted to make
    progress on the activities specified in the MOU,
    specifically regarding the health study.  One issue was the
    lack of the establishment of a Joint Committee, which was
    included in the MOU per the request of the Vietnamese
    negotiators.  The U.S. has named members to the Joint
    Committee; Vietnamese have not appointed their members.
    Minister Truc said that the lack of a joint committee was a
    stumbling block but that the key question was how to
    organize the research in an effective way.  One problem he
    saw was that people were waiting for answers and that the
    research took too long and that the research time should be
    shortened.  Dr Sassaman reiterated that the U.S. was anxious
    to get the birth defects study started and wanted to know if
    there were any problems that the Vietnamese had with the
    study.  He did not seem to know the answer.  Mr. Truc did
    not give an indication that he would facilitate the MOH and
    Committee 33 review process, which may prove to a stumbling
    block in the progress of the project.

    ¶18.  (SBU) On November 11, 2003, Dr. Sassaman, NIEHS
    official Dr. Christopher Portier, and Embassy Health Attache
    met with Dr. Nguyen Van Tuong, GVN co-investigator of the
    human birth defects study in order to review the progress of
    the human health study of selected birth defects to be
    funded by NIEHS.  (NOTE:  As background, Dr. David Carpenter
    of the State University of New York at Albany (University at
    Albany) submitted a short proposal to conduct a pilot case
    control study to evaluate selected birth defects in relation
    to maternal serum dioxin concentrations.  The proposal was
    reviewed according to NIH guidelines, revised accordingly
    and approved in late 2002; after which, NIEHS signed a
    cooperative agreement with Dr. Carpenter.  Dr. Tuong
    received the proposal in September 2002 and, in January 2003
    requested that four more Vietnamese scientists be added to
    the study and that four additional hospitals be added to the
    proposed two.  END NOTE.)  A key reason for the meeting was
    determine the reason for the long delay in receiving
    approval from the GVN to proceed with the pilot study.  Dr.
    Tuong described the lengthy GVN review process, which is
    largely due to the number of ministries, agencies and
    committees that are separately involved, specifically:
    Committee 33; MOH Science and Bioethics committees; MOH;
    Vietnamese Experts; MOH; Committee 33.  To date, the pilot
    study proposal has undergone review through the Vietnamese
    Expert Committee and is now waiting the review and approval
    of Vice Minister of Health Prof. Le Ngoc Trong; the final
    review and approval is completed by Committee 33.  How long
    Committee 33 will hold onto the proposal is unknown.  So
    far, the GVN has had the proposal for more than one year and
    has known its contents for longer than that.

    ¶19.  (SBU) A key component of the study is the verification
    of the serum 2,3,7,8-TCDD levels of both the mother and the
    father of the cases and controls included the study.
    Without these data, exposure assessment would be not be as
    strong and would weaken any results of the epidemiologic
    study. The serum 2,3,7,8-TCDD levels are a more objective
    measure of environmental exposure than personal histories or
    residential history.  Given the lawsuit of the VAAOV and the
    attendant worldwide propaganda campaign (see Paragraph 20
    below), self-reported exposure history for both the cases
    and controls will most likely be highly biased.  USG has
    pressed Dr. Tuong for assurances that the serum 2,3,7,8-TCDD
    samples will be analyzed by laboratories both within Vietnam
    and in an accredited laboratory outside the country.  Dr.
    Carpenter has already contracted with an accredited
    laboratory in Canada.  There is concern, because in the
    past, the GVN has not permitted human serum 2,3,7,8-TCDD
    from leaving the country and, currently, there are no
    laboratories within Vietnam that have the expertise,
    equipment or facilities to measure low concentrations of
    2,3,7,8-TCDD in the picogram per gram of lipid range.

    --------------------------------------------- --------------
    Lawsuit by the Vietnam Association for Agent Orange Victims
    --------------------------------------------- --------------

    ¶20.  (SBU) On January 30, 2004, the newly created "Vietnam
    Association for Agent Orange Victims" (VAAOV) - an entity
    sanctioned by, and probably directed by, both the GVN and
    the Communist Party of Vietnam - filed suit against U.S.
    chemical companies.  The suit was on behalf of three
    individuals from Vietnam contending that they or their
    offspring suffered health affects of exposure to Agent
    Orange.  The lawsuit demanded compensation from the
    companies that produced Agent Orange.  Former Vice-President
    Nguyen Thi Binh and the Vietnam Red Cross Director have been
    identified as key players in VAAOV.  In conjunction with
    this legal suit, the Vietnamese media has intensified, after
    a lull, its propaganda campaign on the AO issues.  The press
    has printed weekly, if not daily, articles on this issue.
    Many of the articles appear aimed at soliciting donations
    for the support of alleged victims of Agent Orange.  The
    reports show pictures of individuals, children and adults,
    with all types of disabilities attributing them to the last
    effects of Agent Orange, regardless of the all the possible
    causes of the many types of birth and congenital
    disabilities.  (COMMENT:  Birth defects may be caused by a
    host of factors some related to the parents and others
    relating to the developing fetus.  These factors may include
    the age of the mother and father, genetic factors, viral
    infections, maternal nutrition - both before and during
    pregnancy, environmental exposures, such as heavy metals and
    pesticides (both parents and during pregnancy), conditions
    during the birth process, e.g., anoxia, maternal health,
    e.g., preeclampsia, and others.  END COMMENT.)

    --------------------------------------------- -------------
    MINISTRY OF DEFENSE PROPOSAL TO U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
    --------------------------------------------- -------------

    ¶21.  (SBU) Reftel relays a MOD proposal to DOD for
    cooperation in remediation of suspected AO/dioxin "hot
    spots" in three former military bases, including the site at
    Da Nang where USEPA and VAST are engaged in planning for the
    site characterization and pilot remediation project.  When
    presenting the proposal verbally to DATT and EST Officer,
    MOD personnel made no reference to the ongoing USEPA-VAST Da
    Nang project.  EST Officer explained the ongoing project and
    asked if MOD intended for its proposal to DOD to be an
    integral part of the ongoing activity, or to be an
    independent endeavor.  The MOD interlocutors, reluctantly
    acknowledging the ongoing activity, stated that MOD-DOD
    cooperation could supplement it.  (COMMENT:  MOD's
    cooperation is vital for the success of the EPA-VAST
    project.  MOD owns the property and thus controls access.
    END COMMENT)  Embassy recommends that if DOD is willing to
    engage MOD on the AO/dioxin issue by supporting remediation
    efforts, that engagement should be carried out in a
    coordination with EPA to support EPA's program in Da Nang.
    At this time, all USG efforts in environmental research
    related to AO/dioxin should be focused on the Da Nang
    project.
    PORTER

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