NLD VIEWS SPDC AS "UNFIT" TO CHAIR ASEAN

S E C R E T RANGOON 000353

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV; PACOM FOR FPA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/22/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM BM NLD
SUBJECT: NLD VIEWS SPDC AS "UNFIT" TO CHAIR ASEAN

REF: A. RANGOON 351

B. RANGOON 345

C. 04 RANGOON 1591

D. SECSTATE 50205

Classified By: COM Carmen Martinez for Reasons 1.4 (b,d)


1. (S) Summary: Two of the National League for Democracy's
(NLD) top leaders tell us that: "the SPDC is unfit and
unsuitable" to take over the ASEAN chair in 2006; the
National Convention will recess o/a April 5; the NLD will
host a low-key commemoration of Resistance Day (aka Armed
Forces Day) on March 27; and ASSK is in "fine" health. End
Summary.


2. (C) DCM and P/E chief met on March 22 with NLD Chairman U
Aung Shwe and NLD Secretary U Lwin at the party's Rangoon
headquarters to discuss current and upcoming events. Our
discussions included the following:

--ASEAN 2006: When asked for party views on attendance by
the United States at ASEAN events in 2006-2007, the NLD
leaders simply responded that "the SPDC is unfit and
unsuitable" to take over the chair of the organization. U
Aung Shwe said he had heard "rumors" that the U.S. would not
attend, but noted that nothing seemed to convince the
"hard-lined" SPDC to change its behavior. "Even ASEAN can't
do anything," he said, but added that perhaps ASEAN would
take a stand at the upcoming Foreign Ministers meeting in the
Philippines (ref D).

--National Convention (NC): The NLD leaders said they had
not heard much news about developments at the ongoing
Convention, other than the regime's draconian "lock down"
procedures for delegates who "can't even leave (the remote NC
site) unless they have permission and travel in groups." U
Lwin said he understood the proceedings would recess o/a
April 5 and not resume until after water festival (which ends
on April 17).

--March 27: The NLD leaders said that the party would host on
March 27 a very low-key Resistance Day (aka Armed Forces Day)
commemoration at headquarters. The party will issue a brief
statement, but has "no plans to announce anything new." U
Aung Shwe said that members of the ethnic coalition United
Nationalities Alliance (UNA) would attend, but said it was
uncertain who was leading the group while chairman U Hkun
Htun Oo remains in detention; "there is no clear leader of
the UNA," said U Lwin.

--NLD arrests: U Aung Shwe said that NLD divisional leader
Kyaw Hsan, arrested on March 17, was picked up by authorities
just one day after returning from his constituency in Sagaing
Division (ref B). However, U Lwin said, the GOB will charge
the MP-elect, a retired Lt General, for his son's alleged
storage on the family compound of property owned by the
pro-regime Democratic Karen Buddhist Association (DKBA). U
Lwin added that MP-elect Kyaw Khin, vice chairman of the NLD
in Shan State, was arrested on February 25 as part of a
round-up of ethnic leaders who had participated in a meeting
in Taunggyi (Shan State). However, the NLD leaders pointed
out, Kyaw Khin was in Rangoon at the time and had nothing to
do with the meeting.


3. (S) On the basis of recent, unsubstantiated rumors that
Aung San Suu Kyi is suffering from a serious illness, we
inquired if the NLD leaders had any information about her
health. U Aung Shwe said, "she's fine, but that is very
confidential information," alluding to the extremely low

SIPDIS
profile that ASSK's personal physician has maintained for the
past three months, following the regime's tightening of
access to her compound (ref C).
Martinez