C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 000727

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/MLS; PACOM FOR FPA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/04/2016
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL OPDC BM
SUBJECT: NLD THANKS SECRETARY RICE FOR SUPPORT

REF: A. RANGOON 700

B. RANGOON 669

C. RANGOON 505

RANGOON 00000727 001.2 OF 002


Classified By: Poloff Dean Tidwell for Reasons 1.4 (b, d)


1. (C) SUMMARY: Qe National League for Democracy (NLD)
passed a letter to the Secretary via Embassy Rangoon. The
text of the letter appears below; the Charge will hand carry
the original to Washington this week. In a June 2 meeting,
NLD leaders reiterated concern that the UNSYG may request his
representatives in the Rangoon UNDP office to manage a
dialogue between the SPDC and the NLD. The NLD thinks the
local UN offices should focus on what they do best --
humanitarian assistance, not political mediation. END
SUMMARY.


2. (SBU) The NLD passed a letter to Embassy Rangoon on June 2
and requested we forward it to Secretary Rice. The Charge
will hand carry the original letter to Washington, DC this
week.

BEGIN TEXT OF LETTER:

National League for Democracy
No. 97/b West Shwegondaing Street
Bahan Township, Rangoon

Her Excellency Dr. Condoleezza Rice
Secretary of State

SIPDIS
United States Department of State

June 1, 2006

Excellency,

We, on behalf of the Central Executive Committee (CEC) of the
National League for Democracy (NLD) and the people of Burma,
would like to express our heartfelt thanks for your remarks
made on May 29, 2006, regarding the political impasse in this
country, immediate and unconditional release of all prisoners
of conscience, including Nobel Laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
and to cease persecution of ethnic minorities by SPDC. As
you have stated, NLD has made every possible attempt to begin
a politically meaningful dialogue with the SPDC to solve, in
a peaceful way, the current problems that our people are
facing daily.

SPDC has also ignored all the reasonable approaches made by
the international community to mediate between the junta and
the opposition. Even the recent mission of H.E. Mr. Ibrahim
Gambari, the Under-Secretary General for Political Affairs of
the UN could not have made an impact on the intransigent
stance of the regime.

We are greatly encouraged by your commitment to be the
partner of Burmese people in working for freedom, peace and
prosperity in this country and hope that your Government's
attempt to bring the issue to Burma into the agenda of the
United Nations Security Council will be maintained and be
fruitful.

Thank Your Excellency again for the statement.

Yours truly,

(Signed)

Aung Shwe

RANGOON 00000727 002.2 OF 002


Chairman

(Signed)

U Lwin
Secretary

SIPDIS

END TEXT OF LETTER.


3. (C) During a June 2 meeting with visiting EAP/MLS Director
Scot Marciel, NLD leaders U Lwin and U Nyunt Wai reiterated
concern that the UN might task its Rangoon UNDP office to be
a liaison between the SPDC and the NLD (ref A). The NLD
takes strong exception to any mediation role for the UN's
Rangoon office and stressed that the UNDP should remain
focused on its mandate of delivering vital humanitarian
assistance to needy Burmese people. The NLD leaders stated
that their main objective remains the start of a direct
dialogue between the SPDC and the NLD (ref C). They would
like such wording included in any new UN resolution on Burma.


4. (C) In response to a question about recent resignations of
NLD party members, the leaders responded that the few people
who resigned had been "out of touch" with the NLD for years.
While admitting that the NLD has nowhere near the 20 million
members it had leading up to the 1990 elections, U Nyunt Wai
said a solid core remains. He felt confident that party
members would become active again should new elections ever
take place.


5. (C) COMMENT: The UNDP Rangoon office's need to cooperate
with the regime to carry out its humanitarian projects causes
NLD leaders to question its impartiality in a political
dialogue. Although the NLD may now be a shadow of its former
self, its ability to survive 16 years after the last election
despite extreme pressure from the regime testifies to the
commitment of its core membership. Its ability to remain
relevant, however, is contingent on having a role in any
political dialogue and on the emergence of capable younger
leaders who can carry the baton -- and the willingness of its
aging leadership to release that baton at the right time.
END COMMENT.
VILLAROSA