GOB BRIEFS DIPLOMATS ON NATIONAL CONVENTION

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 000899 SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV; PACOM FOR FPA; COMMERCE FOR ITA JEAN KELLY E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/14/2014 TAGS: PREL PGOV BM SUBJECT: GOB BRIEFS DIPLOMATS ON NATIONAL CONVENTION REF: A. RANGOON 883 AND PREVIOUS ¶B. RANGOON 393 Classified By: COM Carmen Martinez for Reasons 1.4 (b,d) ¶1. (C) Summary: On July 14 Burma's Deputy Foreign Minister led a briefing of the Rangoon dipcorps on the recently adjourned National Convention (NC). He did not rule out future participation by the NLD in the constitution drafting process, but gave no indication that efforts are underway to accommodate any opposition parties. The otherwise standard GOB briefing only grew interesting during a testy Q and A period. Numerous hard-hitting and pointed questions gave the DFM some indication that few, if any, among the international community view the Convention as a meaningful process. Nonetheless, the briefing was further evidence that the regime has no plans to deviate from a script that calls for Convention delegates to bless a pre-drafted constitution. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) On July 14 Deputy Foreign Minister U Khin Maung Win led a briefing for the Rangoon diplomatic corps on the recently adjourned National Convention (ref A). Several dozen embassies and international organizations were represented at the one hour event. Although the DFM led off the session, he left the bulk of the cursory briefing to U Thaung Nyunt, the dour secretary of the NC's "Convening Work Committee" (ref B). ¶3. (U) U Thaung Nyunt summarized the general proceedings to date of the National Convention, which reconvened on May 17 and adjourned on July 9, and ongoing efforts to finalize the drafting of a new constitution. He suggested that although nine of the constitution's chapters remain unfinished, little work would take place during the NC recess because delegate groups had already submitted discussion papers and proposals. He added that the Convention itself was not encumbered by voting, because "all discussions lead to a consensus." ¶4. (U) An otherwise humdrum GOB briefing grew interesting during a testy question and answer period. The German Ambassador chastised U Thaung Nyunt for giving a presentation that merely repeated information provided in state-run media and demanded that MFA officials "shed more light on the NC process." The Pakistan ambassador raised questions stemming from rumors that the NC had adjourned because of difficulties with the ethnic groups and because the GOB intended to draw in "other political parties" (read: the NLD). The DFM dismissed these rumors and, ignoring the political party question, claimed that the NC had simply recessed for a scheduled adjournment to allow delegates to address personal business. ¶5. (U) The COM pursued the political party angle and asked if the GOB would seek discussions with the NLD leading to future opposition participation in the Convention. U Thaung Nyunt said that the GOB had already invited the NLD to attend, "despite the party's demand for more seats," and suggested that the ball was in the NLD's court. The DFM took the podium and declared that "NLD participation depends on many factors and circumstances and we prefer not to go into any details at this time." However, he allowed that the door was not closed on future NLD participation (Note: NLD CEC members told the COM and P/E chief later that evening that the GOB has not approached the party since negotiations broke down on May 13. End note.) ¶6. (U) The UK ambassador questioned the GOB officials about reports that the ethnic cease-fire groups (CFGs) at the NC were prohibited from submitting a proposal on states' rights. U Thaung Nyunt said "like in a democracy, the other seven groups (of GOB hand-picked delegates) simply agreed not to accept the CFGs' proposal." The DFM interrupted and said that the proposals, which addressed power sharing scenarios, were never rejected; "we simply asked the CFGs to withdraw their proposals because they offered ideas that are not in keeping with present conditions in the country." ¶7. (C) Comment: Although DFM U Khin Maung Win, a former Fulbrighter and graduate of Johns Hopkins University, has emerged as one of the GOB's more polished spokesmen, the career diplomat had more difficulty than usual on this occasion satisfying a feisty diplomatic corps. He seemed nonplused not just by the expected probing questions from the U.S. and EU missions but also by the pointed inquiries from several of the normally more reserved Ambassadors, which gave the DFM some indication that few in the international community view the National Convention as a meaningful process. Nonetheless, the briefing was further evidence that the regime has no plans to deviate from its script which calls for Convention delegates to bless a pre-drafted constitution. End comment. Martinez