BURMA: MFA DEMARCHES CHARGE ON UNSC DISCUSSION

C O N F I D E N T I A L RANGOON 001519

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/MLS; PACOM FOR FPA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/11/2016
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL BM
SUBJECT: BURMA: MFA DEMARCHES CHARGE ON UNSC DISCUSSION


Classified By: CDA Shari Villarosa for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (U) On October 10, Deputy Director General of the MFA's
International Organizations Division, U Hla Myint, called in
the Charge d'Affaires to deliver a lackluster protest against
U.S. comments during the September 29 UNSC discussion on
Burma. Noting that the Foreign Minister had instructed him
to deliver his points, U Hla Myint said that during the
Security Council discussion, U/SYG Gambari had stressed
Burma's complicated history and acknowledged progress in
Burma such as decreasing opium poppy production.
Additionally, U Hla Myint said, Gambari had acknowledged the
GOB's progress on labor issues, including the release of two
prisoners who had protested against forced labor and the
GOB's ongoing consultations with the ILO to negotiate a
credible mechanism to address forced labor cases in Burma. U
Hla Myint concluded by stating that Burma was disappointed
with U.S. action in the Security Council and requested that
the U.S. make an effort to acknowledge positive developments
in any future Council discussion on Burma.


2. (SBU) The Charge responded that the U.S. recognizes
progress when it sees it, and that while we had acknowledged
decreased opium production in Burma, which the Foreign
Minister cited in his speech to the U.N. last year,
methamphetamine production in Burma has soared. She
emphasized that the U.S. wants to see further, concrete
progress on forced labor and political prisoners. The Charge
pointed out that although the GOB had recently released two
imprisoned labor activists, during the last two weeks the
regime had detained five prominent pro-democracy activists:
Min Ko Naing, Ko Ko Gyi, Htay Kywe, Pyone Cho, and Min Zeya.
The Charge stressed that their detention contradicted the
regime's claims of progress on democracy, and called for the
immediate and unconditional release of the student prisoners,
together with Aung San Suu Kyi, U Win Tin, and all remaining
political prisoners.


3. (SBU) In addition, she noted there had been no progress
at all on increasing access for humanitarian assistance
organizations as requested by U/SYG Gambari last May. The
international community needs to see concrete progress in all
these areas. U Hla Myint nodded agreeably and did not
challenge any of the Charge's points. Charge noted that the
U.S. and the GOB share the same objective for Burma: a
peaceful, stable society progressing into the future. The
U.S. strongly believes that this can only happen with an
inclusive political transition that brings widely respected
leaders like Aung San Suu Kyi and Hkun Htun Oo into the
dialogue.


4. (SBU) Comment: The Foreign Ministry's demarche coincided
with the resumption of Burma's National Convention, which
began with a series of repetitive, canned speeches denouncing
the U.S. for raising Burma in the UN Security Council. U Hla
Myint delivered his points unenthusiastically and passed the
Charge a more detailed aide memoire that he clearly had not
even read, since it claimed that there was no methamphetamine
production in Burma. We continue to receive messages of
gratitude and support for our efforts on Burma in the UNSC
from members of the pro-democracy opposition, the public, and
even mny of the cease-fire groups participating in the
Convention. End Summary.
VILLAROSA