GOB GIVES GREEN LIGHT TO INDONESIAN ENVOY

C O N F I D E N T I A L RANGOON 001159

SIPDIS

TREASURY FOR OASIA JEFF NEIL
USPACOM FOR FPA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/17/2013
TAGS: PREL PGOV BM ID
SUBJECT: GOB GIVES GREEN LIGHT TO INDONESIAN ENVOY

REF: A. JAKARTA 10347

B. JAKARTA 10206

C. KUALA LUMPUR 6267

Classified By: COM Carmen Martinez for Reasons 1.5 (B,D)


1. (C) According to U Thaung Tun, MFA Director General for
Political Affairs, the GOB has agreed to a visit within the
next week by Indonesian Presidential Advisor Ali Alatas. The
DG told us on September 18 that the specific dates for the
visit are "under negotiation," due primarily to the imminent
departure of several GOB cabinet members to New York for the
UNGA, but added that the visit would take place "within
days." (Note: The Italian and Indian Ambassadors told COM
that they have heard Alatas will arrive as early as September

21. End note). U Thaung Tun stressed to P/E Chief that
Alatas would visit Burma only in his capacity as a personal
envoy for President Megawati, and not on behalf of ASEAN.


2. (C) Comment: A visit by Alatas to Rangoon, just two weeks
prior to the ASEAN Summit in Bali, provides an excellent
opportunity for a key ASEAN country to press the SPDC regime
to release Aung San Suu Kyi and her detained NLD colleagues.
The SPDC will make every attempt to use his visit, and the
expected September 30 visit of U.N. Special Envoy Razali (ref
C),to soften the frosty reception that Burma will face in
Bali. Furthermore, it is likely that the SPDC will chastise
Alatas for FM Wirajuda's recent public call for ASSK's
release (ref A). We hope that Alatas is prepared to bite
back and deliver a strong message that there will be no
political progress until the NLD leadership is released from
detention.
Martinez