BIOGRAPHY: U WUNNA MAUNG LWIN (PROPOSED AMBASSADOR

UNCLAS RANGOON 000122 SIPDIS SENSITIVE STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV AND INR/B; PACOM FOR FPA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PHUM PINR BM SUBJECT: BIOGRAPHY: U WUNNA MAUNG LWIN (PROPOSED AMBASSADOR TO WASHINGTON) REF: RANGOON 51 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Post has compiled newly available biographical information on U Wunna Maung Lwin, who has been proposed by the GOB to be the next ambassador from Burma to Washington. Reftel forwarded the GOB's request for agrement and an official CV. U Wunna Maung Lwin, Burma's current ambassador to France, is a decorated former military officer who has spent the last seven years in the senior civil and diplomatic services. End Summary. EARLY YEARS ¶2. (SBU) U Wunna Maung Lwin was born in Thaton, Mon State on May 30, 1952. His father Maung Lwin was a major in the Burmese Army, later transferred from the army to civilian administration at Corporation No. 9 of the Trade Ministry. (Note: Reftel stated that his father was a Colonel with former ties to Than Shwe. Subsequent information from Post sources clarified that his father was a major, and another officer with the exact same name was the colonel. End Note.) Wunna Maung Lwin likely lived at home and obtained his high school education in Rangoon. EDUCATION (1970 - 1974) ¶3. (SBU) Wunna Maung Lwin started college at Rangoon Institute of Technology in 1970. In 1972 he transferred to the Defense Services Academy (DSA) (Batch 16, BC No. 13031). While attending DSA he won several awards including "best cadet" and earned distinctions in science and English. MILITARY SERVICE (1974 - 1998) ¶4. (SBU) After graduating from DSA with a Bachelor of Science degree, Wunna Maung Lwin served with an infantry unit in Shan State. He rose to the rank of captain and was transferred back to DSA where he served on the staff as an English teacher. By 1988 he had been promoted to the rank of major and served with the 6th Infantry Battalion based at Hlawga in Rangoon. (Note: Although his unit was headquartered in Rangoon, Embassy sources believe he was posted with his unit to the field in Shan State at the time of the military regime's brutal suppression of 1988 pro-democracy demonstrations. End Note.) He was subsequently transferred to Mong Yawng in eastern Shan State where he saw action against communist forces. Next he was posted to the 44th Light Infantry Division (LID) at Kawkareik, Karen State and served as the Tactical Commanding Officer. In 1996 he attended the Defense Services Staff College where he excelled in English. In 1997 he was promoted to the rank of colonel and returned as Tactical Operations Commander of the 44th LID serving both at Thaton, Mon State and Kawkareik, Karen State. CIVIL SERVICE (1998 - present) ¶5. (SBU) In 1988, Wunna Maung Lwin was transferred to the senior ranks of the civil service in lieu of being promoted to the rank of brigadier and commander of the 44th LID (Note: This was probably due to his clean military record and his strong English language ability. End Note.) From July 1998 until September 2000 he served as Director General of the Department for the Development of Border Areas and National Races ("NaTaLa"). He was a key GOB contact with the cease-fire groups for development issues in their regions and served as a member of the National Committee for the Development of Border Areas and National Races, which was chaired by Sr. Gen. Than Shwe. During this time he made frequent field trips with foreign diplomats to monitor poppy cultivation and drug production. OTHER PUBLIC SERVICE ¶6. (SBU) Wunna Maung Lwin was involved in several public roles before he was appointed as an ambassador in 2000, including: --Attended a seminar on Training Methods for Integrated Local Community Development in Sri Lanka, July 27 - August 10, ¶1998. --Attended the 1st Meeting of the ASEAN Task Force on Social Safety Nets and as a member of the Burma Delegation to Indonesia for an Informal Meeting of ASEAN Ministers on Rural Development and Poverty Alleviation, December 5-8, 1998. --Head of Burma Delegation to ASEAN-EU JCC Meeting in Brussels, Belgium, September 17-19, 2001. --Member of the Burma Delegation to the 57th, 58th, and 59th United Nations General Assembly Sessions in New York. DIPLOMATIC SERVICE (2000 - present) ¶7. (SBU) Wunna Maung Lwin served as Burma's ambassador to the following countries: --Ambassador to Israel, September 7, 2000 - August 2, 2001 --Ambassador to France, October 22, 2001 - present --Ambassador to Netherlands: May 22, 2002 - present (accredited) --Ambassador to Belgium, July 10, 2002 - present (accredited) --Head of Burmese Delegation to EU Council, June 24, 2002 - present (accredited) --Ambassador to Switzerland, February 25, 2003 - present (accredited). TITLES AND AWARDS ¶8. (SBU) Wunna Maung Lwin has received several titles and awards during his career, including: --Medal (First Class) for Excellent Performance in Administrative Field --Gallantry Medal of the Commander in Chief --Distinguished Service Medal --Naing Ngan Daw Sit Hmu Htan Tazeik (Honorable Military Discharge Medal) --Pyi Thu Sit Taik Pwe Win Taseik (Anti-insurgengy Service Medal) (Note: Such medals were issued during the pre-SLORC era. End Note.) --Naing Ngan Daw Aye Chan Thar Yar Ye Tazeik (Law and Order Restoration Medal) FAMILY MEMBERS ¶9. (SBU) Wunna Maung Lwin's wife is Daw Lin Lin Tin, who is the youngest daughter of Thakhin Ba Tin, a member of the independence movement, Dobamar Asiayone, and an active Rakhine leftist politician in his day. His 1st child, a daughter, is Dr. Tin Thisar Lwin who is currently doing her internship as a civil surgeon in Rangoon. His 2nd child, a daughter, is Lin Mar Law Lwin and is currently studying computer science. His 3rd child, a son, is Lin Min Aung Lwin and is currently enrolled in the Aeronautical Institute at Meiktila. Martinez NNNN