Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03RANGOON1421
2003-11-06 05:01:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Rangoon
Cable title:  

JAPANESE ON RAZALI ADVISOR DE RIEDMATTEN

Tags:  PREL PGOV BM 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L RANGOON 001421 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/05/2013
TAGS: PREL PGOV BM
SUBJECT: JAPANESE ON RAZALI ADVISOR DE RIEDMATTEN

REF: A. STATE 306270

B. TOKYO 7202

Classified By: COM CARMEN M. MARTINEZ; REASON 1.5(B & D).

C O N F I D E N T I A L RANGOON 001421

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/05/2013
TAGS: PREL PGOV BM
SUBJECT: JAPANESE ON RAZALI ADVISOR DE RIEDMATTEN

REF: A. STATE 306270

B. TOKYO 7202

Classified By: COM CARMEN M. MARTINEZ; REASON 1.5(B & D).


1. (C) Japanese DCM Hiroshi Kawamura called on DCM November
5 to clarify his ambassador's position regarding Swiss
citizen Leon de Riedmatten, Razali advisor and head of
Humanitarian Dialogue in Rangoon.


2. (C) Kawamura stated that his Ambassador, Yuji Miyamoto,
had not demarched or suggested to Razali in their October 27
meeting in Kuala Lumpur that de Riedmatten be removed as
Razali's facilitator or advisor, nor would he make such a
suggestion in the future. The Japanese DCM said that Razali
heard directly from the GOB that it has lost confidence in de
Riedmatten, adding that the Japanese embassy had heard the
same thing from the GOB. Kawamura added that de Riedmatten,
seen by the SPDC as being too close to Aung San Suu Kyi, has
lost his heretofore excellent access to ASSK and senior
regime leaders.


3. (C) Comment: The Japanese DCM said he was providing the
above clarification on specific instructions from his
ambassador. Could be that reftels prompted Tokyo to once
again rein in the Japanese ambassador, an avid advocate of
engagement with the SPDC, who has been way out ahead of Tokyo
several times over the past year.


4. (C) Comment, Continued: Prior to May 30, de Riedmatten
was just as close to ASSK as he is now (but then had regular
access). Further, Khin Nyunt agreed on May 28 to allow Leon
to function as ILO ombudsman for labor issues and abuses,
indicating a high degree of trust in de Riedmatten for this
sensitive position. What has happened since then is not that
Leon de Riedmatten has changed, but that the SPDC regime has
been bolstered by what it sees as a vote of confidence from
ASEAN and continued high-level courting from India and China.
It has decided to bull its way forward with its self-imposed
solution while ignoring input from anyone else. End Comment.
Martinez