Agreement on the Cooperation between the Ministry of State Security of the German Democratic Republic and Ministry of the Interior the Socialist Republic of Vietnam

A G R E E M E N T

on the cooperation between the Ministry of State Security of the German Democratic Republic and Ministry of the Interior the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

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The Ministry of State Security of the German Democratic Republic (MfS of the GDR) and the Ministry of the Interior of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (MdI of the SRV), declare their long-lasting cooperation, following from the foundation of the decisions of the Central Committee of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany and the Communist Party of Vietnam, continually developed and established and forming one important factor for the solution of the mission of guaranteeing the state security of the GDR and the SRV, for the protection of the states of the socialist community against the attacks of imperialism, of its secret services and subversive headquarters, against the aggressive and subversive plans, schemes, and activities of the hegemonic leadership of the People’s Republic of China, and the preservation and fortification of peace.

Based on the knowledge that the close collaboration and mutual help and support thereunto, to increase the effectiveness of the activity of the MfS of the GDR and the MdI of the SRV for uncovering and inhibiting the hostile plans of the enemy and to insure the expedient mission of the existing forces and materials, the MfS of the GDR and the MdI of the SRV are united in their wish to further develop and deepen their cooperation in accordance with the determinations and principles of the “Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation between the German Democratic Republic and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam” of 4. December 1977, agree to this contract.

Article 1

The MfS of the GDR and the MdI of the SRV exchange:

- political, military, economic, and scientific-technical information regarding the enemy, operative materials and information about the forms, means, and methods of the hostile activity of the secret services and other subversive organizations of the enemy, as well as their planned and executed hostile actions against the GDR, the SRV, and other states of the socialist community;

- Experiences and insights in the fight against the hostile activities of the enemy, as well as information about known agents of enemy secret services and other elements that make hostile activities against the GDR, the SRV, or other states of the socialist community.

- Clues and information about hostile activities against citizens and institutions of both states, acquired data on citizens of one state that temporarily or permanently stay in the territory of the other state that is of operational interest to the activities of the state security institutions, as well as other operationally relevant intelligence, information, data, and information.

Article 2

The MfS of the GDR and the MdI of the SRV mutually support each other

- by combatting the hostile activities of the secret services of the imperialist states and other enemy centers and organizations, especially the US and the Chinese hegemonists, that is directed against the GDR, the SRV, or other states of the socialist community;

- by combatting the political-ideological diversion of the enemy and the hostile activities of the acting organizations and establishments of the enemy in this regard;

- by the appropriate defensive security of economic objects and projects or measures in the realm of socialist economic integration;

- by the protection of secrets that concern the political, military, economic, and scientific-technical cooperation of the GDR and the SRV as well as their cooperation with institutions and organizations of the socialist community.

- by the operational safeguarding of the international travel and tourism traffic and the prevention of illegal border crossing of citizens of both states;

- by the reconnaissance, prevention, and fight against terrorist acts and other enemy actions against the official representatives and institutions of the GDR and the SRV as well as all types of transportation.

- by the appropriate defensive security of citizens and institutions of one state on the territory of the other state, especially Vietnamese workers and students staying in the GDR for training and education.

Article 3

The MfS of the GDR and the MdI of the SRV mutually render help and support to one another in questions that fall in the competence of the investigative bodies of state security.

Article 4

The MfS of the GDR and the MdI of the SRV work together and coordinate their activity by the support of friendly security institutions in third countries.

Article 5

The MfS of the GDR grants the MdI of the SRV, according to the possibilities and the political-operational requirements, solidarity support of material-technical guarantees for the activity of the MdI of the SRV through the provision of equipment and devices for purpose of security institutions as well as by the education of cadres of the MdI of the SRV.

Emphasis is thereby on the areas of signals intelligence and operational technique. To this, a separate agreement will be made between both sides, in which the terms of support measures will be determined.

The MfS of the GDR supports the MdI of the SRV according to its possibilities for completion and realization of deliveries through the state trade institutions for the purpose of security institutions, as well as mediate the participation of members of the MdI of the SRV at qualification measures, that will be completed at firms and facilities in the GDR. The foundation thereon builds on the relevant interstate agreements.

Article 6

The MfS of the GDR and the MdI of the SRV deploy appropriate defensive security for the space of the embassy of the GDR in the SRV, as well as the embassy of the SRV, in the GDR, for the citizens of the other state on their territory, and for maintenance of the constant connection between both sides by representatives of both ministries.

Article 7

The MfS of the GDR and the MdI of the SRV adopt the required measures for safeguarding the secrecy of handed over information, data, and materials in the realm of their cooperation, where the degree of the secrecy has been set by consigning side.

Intelligence and materials from obtained from respective sides and the knowledge about them shall not be given to a third party without the approval of the side from which it was obtained.

Article 8

Questions and Problems of cooperation between the MfS of the GDR and the MdI of the SRV that are of a foundational character are subject to examination and confirmation through the ministers of both sides.

The coordination of ongoing cooperation, as well as the guarantee of communication between the two sides takes place through the department of international relations of the MfS of the GDR and the department for foreign relations of the MdI of the SRV.

Direct communication between both sides will maintained in Berlin between the leader of the department of international relations of the MfS of the GDR and by the representative of the MdI of the SRV in the embassy of the SRV in the GDR and in Hanoi between the leader of the department of foreign affairs of the MdI of the SRV and the representative of the MfS of the GDR in the embassy of the GDR in the SRV.

Article 9

For the purposes of realizing the determined assignments through this agreement, as well as for the coordination of collaboration between the MfS of the GDR and the MdI of the SRV, required consultations between representatives of both sides at different levels shall be implemented. Thereto joint plans will be worked out that set the assignments and measures for both parties for one year and that are approved by the ministers of both sides.

By operational requirement, unscheduled consultations can be conducted after mutual agreement.

The dispatch of collaborators from one side to the other for the solution of concrete operational assignments requires the information and approval of the receiving side.

Article 10

Both sides carry the costs for supporting stationed collaborators on the territory of the other side.

The costs for lodging collaborators that take place in accordance with the plan for consultations, or [for collaborators] that stay in the country on invitation, will be carried by the receiving side.

The costs for lodging in connection with unscheduled business trips will be carried by the dispatching side.

Article 11

In fulfillment of the tasks set by this agreement, additional agreements or protocols on important areas or measures regarding cooperation may be concluded between both sides that are approved by the ministers of both sides.

Article 12

This agreement goes into effect with the signatures of the ministers of both sides and is valid for 5 years. If one of the sides does not express the wish to terminate the agreement within six months prior to the expiration date, then this agreement will be extended for five more years.

Executed in Berlin on 28.10.1980 in two copies, each in the German and Vietnamese language, whereby both texts are equally valid.

^[1] Pham Hung (1912-1988) succeeded Tran Quoc Hoan as Minister of Interior in 1980 or 1981 (the Ministry of Public Security and of Interior had merged into one ministry in 1975). From mid-1987 until his death in 1988 he served as Chairman of the Council of Ministers (Prime Minister) of Vietnam.