BURMESE REGIME RECALLS FOREIGN ENVOYS FOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L RANGOON 001524 SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV; PACOM FOR FPA E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/30/2014 TAGS: PREL PGOV BM SUBJECT: BURMESE REGIME RECALLS FOREIGN ENVOYS FOR "REORIENTATION" REF: A. RANGOON 1462 AND PREVIOUS ¶B. BANGKOK 8198 Classified By: COM Carmen Martinez for Reasons 1.4 (b,d) ¶1. (C) Summary: The GOB has instructed its 37-odd foreign envoys to return to Burma in three separate batches for "reorientation" and "familiarization" with new members of the government and senior military officers. One senior official insists that rumors all of the ambassadors will be ousted are not true, but admits that some of the Burmese diplomats are "afraid" to come home. We suspect that those ambassadors with close ties to ousted PM Khin Nyunt are vulnerable, as in the case of the now former Burmese ambassador to Thailand (ref B),but the ongoing purge of the Khin Nyunt empire will have a more likely impact on military intelligence agents embedded in Burmese missions overseas. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) Rumors have been circulating for several weeks that the SPDC, following the October 19 ouster of former Prime Minister Khin Nyunt (ref A),had initiated a world-wide recall of all Burmese ambassadors at approximately 37 overseas missions. As the rumors have it, the regime planned to retire all of the envoys and, in some cases, arrest those with close ties to Khin Nyunt. ¶3. (C) The COM recently spoke with MOFA's Director General for Protocol, Thura U Aung Htet, and asked about reports of a full recall of envoys or a massive changeover in the Burmese foreign service. Aung Htet said that, indeed, the GOB had instructed ambassadors to return to Rangoon, but emphasized that the consultations were for "reorientation" and "familiarization" with new members of the government and senior military. Aung Htet stressed that there was no "global recall," but rather visits to Burma by three separate batches of ambassadors. The first batch (which, according to Embassy sources, is comprised of Burmese diplomats posted throughout the Southeast Asia region) arrived in Burma in mid-November. The second batch will arrive in early December and the third, and final, batch will visit in January. ¶4. (C) U Aung Htet, an experienced 69 year-old diplomat who earned his honorific "Thura" title fighting the Burmese Communist Party in the 1970s, said that the first group of ambassadors was already visiting upcountry border posts and regional military commanders and meeting with new GOB ministers. He admitted that many of the ambassadors were "afraid" to come home as they thought they were being summoned for removal (or worse). However, Aung Htet insisted that rumors of a global ouster were not true. ¶5. (C) An additional, and related, rumor has surfaced on the Democratic Voice of Burma and other exile media outlets claiming that the Burmese ambassador in London, Kyaw Win, has sought political asylum from the U.K. The British Embassy in Rangoon tells us that their Foreign Office has no information on an asylum application, but acknowledges that as a result of confidentiality requirements they might not be privy to such a development. Local contacts opine that it would be highly unlikely for Kyaw Win, a regime insider with close ties to senior SPDC officials, to quit his job while overseas. ¶6. (C) Comment: Many of Burma's foreign envoys had close ties to Khin Nyunt and, contrary to Aung Htet's explanation, it does appear that at least one such ambassador has been removed (ref B, the former Burmese Ambassador to Thailand). Others are vulnerable and may meet the same fate. However, a more likely scenario would be a broader recall of military intelligence agents buried in most Burmese embassies. MI's function in foreign capitals has been to keep close tabs on GOB diplomats and Burmese exile groups. The SPDC will not seek to abolish this essential function, but the ongoing purge of Khin Nyunt and his MI faithful will quite possibly extend overseas. End Comment. MARTINEZ