Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06PHNOMPENH1534
2006-08-28 09:56:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Phnom Penh
Cable title:  

CAMBODIA'S LEGISLATURE LAUNCHES BURMA CAUCUS

Tags:  AORC PREL KDEM CB 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO2566
OO RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHPF #1534/01 2400956
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 280956Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7214
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHCHI/AMCONSUL CHIANG MAI PRIORITY 0040
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY 0030
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM PRIORITY
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PHNOM PENH 001534 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/MLS; NSC FOR HOLLY MORROW

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AORC PREL KDEM CB
SUBJECT: CAMBODIA'S LEGISLATURE LAUNCHES BURMA CAUCUS


PHNOM PENH 00001534 001.2 OF 002


UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PHNOM PENH 001534

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/MLS; NSC FOR HOLLY MORROW

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AORC PREL KDEM CB
SUBJECT: CAMBODIA'S LEGISLATURE LAUNCHES BURMA CAUCUS


PHNOM PENH 00001534 001.2 OF 002



1. (SBU) Summary. On August 25, Cambodia's National
Assembly launched its Burma Caucus, which includes 26 members
from Cambodia's three political parties. Members of the
ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus (AIPMC),diplomats,
and NGOs participated in the inauguration ceremony, as did
members of the Burmese National League for Democracy (NLD)
and Charm Tong, a young female activist of the Shan Women's
Action Network (SWAN). New Zealand PM Helen Clark sent a
congratulatory letter. PM Hun Sen met for two hours with the
visiting ASEAN parliamentarians and two NLD members of
parliament; the first time an ASEAN leader has met with the
AIPMC. The SPDC reportedly sent a letter of protest to Hun
Sen denouncing the Burmese attendees as "terrorists." End
Summary.

Burma Caucus Inaugurated
--------------


2. (U) Cambodia's National Assembly held a modest
inauguration ceremony on August 25 at the Cambodiana Hotel to
launch its Burma Caucus -- the sixth ASEAN member state to
form such a group. Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines,
Singapore, and Indonesia have launched similar caucuses since
2004; Cambodia is the last country among the six whose MPs
have participated in AIPMC events. AIPMC Chairperson Zaid
Ibrahim of Malaysia gave welcoming remarks to the Cambodian
MPs present for the inauguration, while RGC Burma Caucus
Chairman Son Chhay introduced each of the 26 Cambodian MPs
who joined the Caucus. Son Chhay gave special thanks to
National Assembly President Heng Semrin and PM Hun Sen for
supporting the effort and encouraging CPP parliamentarians to
join. Dr. Sann Aung, MP in exile belonging to the NLD of
Burma, spoke of the importance of bringing greater pressure
within ASEAN on the Burmese junta. He thanked the Cambodian
MPs for their solidarity and urged greater ASEAN pressure on
the Burmese generals. The AIPMC Secretariat representative
read a letter from New Zealand PM Helen Clark congratulating
the Cambodian Burma Caucus in its launch and welcoming the
group's active contributions to "AIPMC's efforts to bring
peace, stability, and safety to the region."


3. (U) At the evening's dinner, MFA Secretary of State for

ASEAN Affairs Kao Kim Hourn highlighted the recent statements
by PM Hun Sen relating to Burma, noting that Cambodia has
joined with other ASEAN voices in calling for greater action
on the part of the military generals in Rangoon to accede to
ASEAN demands for real progress towards democratic reform.
Burmese activist Charm Tong from SWAN spoke about the
hardships experienced by the Burmese people, in particular
the ethnic minority groups along the Burma-Thai border.
Philippine congresswoman Loretta Rosales noted that the five
other ASEAN countries with a Burma Caucus all belong to the
original group of ASEAN nations. Cambodia's Burma Caucus is
significant because Cambodia is one the newer members, and
the only one to join AIPMC, she added.


4. (SBU) Rosales commended PM Hun Sen for his reception of
the AIPMC delegation, noting that no other ASEAN leader had
taken the time to meet with the AIPMC group. Hun Sen, she
noted, gave the delegation more than two hours of his time,
and provided a substantive exchange on the issue. The PM
reportedly encouraged an ASEAN plus nine formula that would
exclude Burma from international gatherings. He was also
reportedly receptive to the UNSC putting Burma on the agenda.
The PM told the delegation that while the Rangoon generals
had earlier extended an invitation to him to visit Burma, he
doubted the invitation would still stand after the
inauguration of the Burma Caucus. The PM reportedly showed
the delegation a letter from the SPDC protesting the
establishment of the Burma Caucus and the Cambodian
government's invitation to NLD MPs to join the launch. The
letter allegedly referred to Burma's democratic activists as
"terrorists." Although the SPDC reportedly further
requested the PM to refuse an audience to the Burmese MPs and
NGO officials, the PM did permit two NLD representatives to
attend the meeting at the PM's residence. The AIPMC reps
urged Hun Sen to engage with Vietnam and Laos on Burma; the
PM

Comment
--------------


5. (SBU) Son Chhay was disappointed that some members of
the Caucus (notably the CPP representatives) remain wary of
the initiative and unsure of their role. He plans to begin
meeting with them with an eye towards eventual passage of a
resolution calling for democratic change in Burma consistent
with language already adopted by other ASEAN states. He was

PHNOM PENH 00001534 002.2 OF 002


also disappointed that more members of the National Assembly
did not turn out for the launch of the Caucus, and attendance
at the launch was supplemented by members of the Senate. The
important point, he emphasized, was that the launch took
place and received positive media coverage. We have
encouraged the Cambodian NGO attendees to congratulate the PM
and Heng Semrin for their support of the Burma Caucus. One
NGO rep noted that her organization rarely commends the
government, but should do so when positive steps such as
these are taken. The Canadian Ambassador planned to go back
to Ottawa to request a high-level note along the lines of the
New Zealand PM, noting that such encouragement will work to
keep the positive momentum going. End Comment.
MUSSOMELI