巴马政府与越南正就一项协议展开深入谈判，该协议将让美国与越南分享核燃料与核技术，并允许越南自己进行铀浓缩。美国国会内的批评人士说，这一条款将削弱美国对其中东伙伴国在核开发方面更严厉要求的法理基础。
由美国国务院牵头进行的这一美越谈判有可能令中国不安，中越两国间的边境线有数百英里长。此次谈判是显示美国在南亚和东南亚地区重新采取强硬姿态的最新例证，华盛顿正在与那些对北京不断增长的地区影响力日益感到担忧的国家加强联系。
据熟悉相关情况的美国官员说，美方谈判人员已经向越南提出了一项全面的核能合作建议，并开始向美国国会参众两院的对外关系委员会通报谈判情况。据一位听取过谈判情况简要介绍的美国高级官员称，美国在与越南进行这一谈判时未征询过中国的意见。他说，这不牵涉到中国。
一些听取过相关情况介绍的防止核扩散专家和美国议员说，与越南谈判的这项协议还标志着华盛顿近来核不扩散努力的一次倒退，他们把矛头指向协议的一项重要条款，即允许越南在本国境内生产核燃料。
越 南曾于2001年与美国布什政府签署过一份初步谅解备忘录，内容是在获取易裂变材料和开发民用核能方面与美国合作。近几个月来，奥巴马政府加快了与越南在 这方面的谈判进程，以期达成一项协议，从而使美越两国能够开展核相关技术的交流，并在核安全、核存储以及相关教育领域进行合作。据美国官员说，这一协议的 达成，还将使通用电气(General Electric Co.)和柏克德公司(Bechtel Corp.)等美国企业得以向越南出售核零部件与核反应堆。
美国官员们强调说，与越南达成的任何协议都会规定，越南的核装置需置于联合国的核监督机构国际原子能机构(International Atomic Energy Agency)的密切监督之下。这被视为旨在确保越南的核材料不会被转而用于军事目的。
据美国外交官说，越南正在研究这一协议的最后草案，预计今年秋季美越两国将进一步展开谈判。
The Obama administration is in advanced negotiations to share nuclear fuel and technology with Vietnam in a deal that would allow Hanoi to enrich its own uranium-terms that critics on Capitol Hill say would undercut the more stringent demands the U.S. has been making of its partners in the Middle East.
The State Department-led negotiations could unsettle China, which shares hundreds of miles of border with Vietnam. It is the latest example of the U.S.'s renewed assertiveness in South and Southeast Asia, as Washington strengthens ties with nations that have grown increasingly wary of Beijing's growing regional might.
U.S. officials familiar with the matter say negotiators have given a full nuclear-cooperation proposal to the communist country and former Cold War foe, and have started briefing House and Senate foreign-relations committees. A top U.S. official briefed on the negotiation said China hadn't been consulted on the talks. 'It doesn't involve China,' the official said.
Some counterproliferation experts and U.S. lawmakers briefed on the talks say the deal also marks a step backward in Washington's recent nonproliferation efforts, pointing to a key proviso that would allow Hanoi to produce nuclear fuel on its own soil.
Vietnam signed an initial memorandum of understanding with the Bush administration in 2001 to pursue cooperation with the U.S. on securing fissile materials and developing civilian nuclear power. The Obama administration has accelerated talks with Hanoi in recent months aimed at completing a deal to allow for the exchange of know-how and cooperation security, storage and educational areas. It would also allow U.S. firms such as General Electric Co. and Bechtel Corp. to sell nuclear components and reactors to Vietnam, according to U.S. officials.
U.S. officials stressed that any agreement with Vietnam will require that Hanoi's nuclear installations be under close oversight by the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency. This is seen as insuring Vietnam's nuclear materials aren't diverted for military purposes.
The Vietnamese are studying the agreement's final draft and further talks are expected in the fall, said American diplomats.