EAP DAS DALEY MEETS WITH SPDC SECRETARY ONE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 000554 SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/06/2013 TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER BM SUBJECT: EAP DAS DALEY MEETS WITH SPDC SECRETARY ONE GENERAL KHIN NYUNT - DISCUSSIONS ON COUNTER-TERRORISM, POLITICAL DIALOGUE, AND PRISONER RELEASES SHOW SOME RESULT REF: A. STATE 102828 (NOTAL) ¶B. RANGOON 00539 Classified By: COM CARMEN M. MARTINEZ FOR REASONS 1.5 (B AND D). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: EAP DAS Matt Daley, COM, and DCM (note taker) met with Secretary 1, General Khin Nyunt April 27 in Rangoon. General Khin Nyunt emphasized counter-terrorism cooperation and the added security the GOB has provided to the U.S. Embassy. Daley urged the GOB to accelerate dialogue with the NLD, to increase press freedoms, and to release more political prisoners. Since the meeting, twenty-one political prisoners have been released, including Dr. Salai Tun Than (Ref B). According to the Burmese embassy in Washington, Dr. Salai Tun Than's release was ordered in direct response to DAS Daley's request. He also called on Senior General Than Shwe to meet with UN Special Envoy Razali soon. S-1 said Razali would be invited for a visit in June. The General said Aung San Suu Kyi was "conceited" and although allowed to travel around the country, had criticized the government in a "very condescending manner." DAS Daley suggested he "set aside the protocol book, invite her to lunch, and sit down and talk with her with no set agenda." Results of the demarche requested Ref A were reported separately. End Summary. ¶2. (C) COUNTER-TERRORISM: Secretary 1, General Khin Nyunt (the head of Military Intelligence and the third-ranking officer in the ruling State Peace and Development Committee) was accompanied by the Foreign Minister, the Deputy Foreign Minister, and three other officials during the call by Daley, COM, and DCM. -- After reftel demarche was delivered and discussed (see septel reply to Ref A),Khin Nyunt spoke of the close counter-terrorism cooperation extended by the GOB to the USG, highlighting the added security provided the embassy during the war in Iraq. Daley thanked S-1 for the added security and noted that terrorism in Southeast Asia was a bigger concern than many people had previously realized. -- Khin Nyunt recounted the March 27 bomb attacks in Rangoon, reporting one fatality (vice two, as we had previously thought). Daley noted that when we learned of these bombings, we called them acts of terrorism and condemned them. S-1 also termed the recent sabotage of a natural gas pipeline, reportedly by KNU insurgents, a terrorist attack. (NOTE: the GOB has frequently attempted to blur the distinction between terrorism per se and other forms of violence related to ongoing ethnic insurgencies.) -- The general added, "We are trying our best to prevent terrorism--we are taking steps to assure that our country will not be used as a stepping stone to export terrorism to other countries." ¶3. (C) DIALOGUE WITH THE NLD: Daley stated that there is a sense of disappointment in the U.S. and in the broader international community that the process of dialogue appears to be losing momentum. We would hope this process could be accelerated, DAS Daley emphasized. General Khin Nyunt responded pointedly, saying: "We are not trying to avoid dialogue with the NLD, but she (ASSK) is very conceited. Anyway, she has not yet proposed any dialogue. We let her travel in the country and what does she do? She criticizes the government in a very condescending manner and stirs up the people against the government." Daley commented that while Aung San Suu Kyi was undoubtedly strong-willed both in personality and principles, the government is powerful, and need not fear destabilization if it moves forward on the democracy and human rights agenda. Further, he had never known her to make a disrespectful comment about the military as an institution even as she called for a transformed polity. DAS Daley urged Khin Nyunt to set aside the protocol book, invite Aung San Suu Kyi to lunch, and open a discussion with no set agenda. ¶4. (C) POLITICAL PRISONERS: Daley made a strong pitch to Khin Nyunt to make a mass release of political prisoners as soon as next month, adding that freeing all the political prisoners would not threaten regime stability. This would be seen as an act of confidence and good faith by other nations, international organizations, and potential business partners. The more serious threat to the regime is economic, DAS Daley continued, and an act of confidence and good faith could help on that front. COM proposed that, pending the release of all political prisoners, the GOB release a group of approximately 190 prisoners who are suffering from severe physical and mental illnesses. COM and DAS also requested that an Embassy consular officer be allowed to visit Dr. Salai Tun Than, as his case has generated substantial congressional and public interest and concern in the United States. Regarding all three proposals, General Khin Nyunt nodded and said, "I will look into it." (Note: Per Ref B, three political prisoners were released just a few days after this meeting. Dr. Salai Tun Than and 17 other political prisoners were released on May 4th. According to the Burmese embassy in Washington, the release of Dr. Salai Tun Than was ordered in direct response to DAS Daley's request. End Note). ¶5. (C) THE MEDIA: At Aung San Suu Kyi's request, DAS Daley commented that the GOB-controlled media does not acknowledge or even mention the NLD, in contrast to the regime's press releases to foreign governments and media outlets, which frequently mention prospects for possible cooperation or talks with the NLD. Could there be a bit more openness in the local media? S-1 did not respond. ¶6. (SBU) RAZALI: When DAS Daley pressed Khin Nyunt to invite UN Special Envoy Razali back to Burma quickly and to assure that he meets with Senior General Than Shwe, Khin Nyunt replied that unfortunately the schedule for May was full. He was happy to announce, however, that Razali had just been invited to come back in June. ¶7. (C) COMMENT: As always, Khin Nyunt conducted himself in the polished, professional manner that has become something of his trademark. Within a regime of distinctly unpolished generals, one of his key roles is to be the presentable face of the SPDC to foreigners. He was cordial and seemingly agreeable even on the issue of a mass political prisoner release. However, he lost his suavity momentarily when describing Aung San Suu Kyi. There is clearly no love lost between them. Interestingly, as Daley made the point on moving the political dialogue forward, the MFA attendees and even Major Myo Aung could be seen to nod their heads in agreement. End Comment. ¶8. (U) DAS Daley has cleared on this message. Martinez