said Monday it won the suit last November after submitting it to the Singapore International Arbitration Centre.<\/span><\/p>\nRussian court records show that Power Machines also filed a lawsuit against PetroVietnam and its representative in Russia in a Moscow court on Feb. 2, 2024. No details about that lawsuit were released.<\/span><\/p>\nReuters news agency said the Singapore suit was intended to reclaim money invested in building a power plant in Vietnam. The project was suspended in 2018 after the Russian contractor was sanctioned by the U.S.<\/span><\/p>\nAlthough the RBC article does not specify which project was being disputed, Vietnamese state media said that in 2019, the Russian company, submitted a lawsuit against PetroVietnam regarding the temporary suspension of the Long Phu 1 Thermal Power project in Soc Trang province.<\/span><\/p>\nThe project began in early 2011, and is expected to provide about 7.8 billion kWh of electricity per year when put into operation.<\/span><\/p>\nHowever, the project had to be suspended due to the U.S. Treasury Department’s sanctions, imposed on Jan. 26, 2018.<\/span><\/p>\nIn Jan. 2019, Power Machines\u2019 contractor submitted an official document announcing the termination of the contract for design, supply of technological equipment and construction, because it considered the sanctions to be force majeure.<\/span><\/p>\nA lawyer who co-founded a non-governmental commercial arbitration center in Vietnam told Radio Free Asia Power Machines believed PetroVietnam (PVN) to be at fault because it failed to meet its obligations.<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cHowever, according to reliable sources, Power Machines started the lawsuit with a weak position,\u201d said the lawyer, speaking on condition of anonymity for security reasons.<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cPVN did not seem to take advantage of it to make strong arguments against Power Machines, so it was unsuccessful.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cDuring the trial, PVN appointed a very good lawyer, but it was too late to change the situation.”<\/span><\/p>\nThe lawyer said if PetroVietnam does not pay the money, “the possibility of having assets confiscated abroad will be very high.”<\/span><\/p>\nRFA Vietnamese called PVN, but the person on the phone said the company was on holiday and there were no senior representatives in the office.<\/span><\/p>\nThe reporter sent emails to Vietnam\u2019s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Industry and Trade, and Ministry of Planning & Investment with a request for comment on the lawsuit but did not immediately receive a response.<\/span><\/p>\nThe reporter also sent an email to the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Embassy in Vietnam with a request to comment. The embassy said it would respond after the Lunar New Year holiday.<\/span><\/p>\nNguyen Quang A, who was director of the now-dissolved Institute for Development Studies said Vietnamese companies often cut corners on contracts with foreign partners.<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cInvestors in Vietnam must be very careful in choosing contractors, not only clearly researching partners but also taking into account risks,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cWhen negotiating a contract, you must hire good lawyers to make the contract tight.”<\/span><\/p>\nA former lecturer at Hanoi\u2019s National Economics University, who did not want to be identified in order to speak more freely, said that when doing business internationally, Vietnamese officials do not have a long-term vision but put personal interests above national interests.<\/span><\/p>\nHe said they look at their potential commission without thinking about the possible consequences.<\/span><\/p>\nPower Machines has been involved in many industrial projects in Vietnam such as the Thac Ba Hydropower Plant, Pha Lai Thermal Power Plant, Tri An Hydropower Plant and Tri An Hydropower Plant.<\/span><\/p>\nAfter 2000, the company took part in building three hydroelectric projects: Yaly, Can Don, and Se San 3, and Uong Bi Thermal Power Plant.<\/span><\/p>\nTranslated by RFA Vietnamese. Edited by Mike Firn and Elaine Chan.<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
Tin t\u1eeb RFA