BURMA READY TO START TALKING TO ILO

C O N F I D E N T I A L RANGOON 000904 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/MLS; PACOM FOR FPA; TREASURY FOR OASIA:AJEWELL E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/08/2015 TAGS: ELAB ECON PGOV BM SUBJECT: BURMA READY TO START TALKING TO ILO Classified By: Acting P/E Chief:TLManlowe for Reason 1.4 (b,d) ¶1. (C) Summary: The Deputy Minster of Labor told ILO Liaison Officer that the GOB is ready to begin discussions with ILO representatives in Geneva. ILO members at the recent International Labor Conference (ILC) deferred further action against the GOB on the condition that it resume talks to develop a mechanism to address forced labor charges. ILO members also set a deadline of July 31 for the release of lawyer Aye Myint, and the Supreme Court agreed to hear his case on July 22. End Summary. ¶2. (C) On June 29, ILO Liaison Officer Richard Horsey told us that Brig. Gen. Win Sein, Deputy Minister of Labor, met him in Rangoon because the Minster could not get away from his duties in the new capital, and did not want to delay the meeting any longer. Horsey requested a meeting with the Minster immediately upon his return from the Geneva ILC meeting on June 20. The Deputy Minister told Horsey that the GOB was ready to begin discussions, but wanted the Burmese Ambassador to lead the talks with ILO representatives in Geneva. Horsey said that was acceptable to him, as long as the ILO saw signs of a genuine GOB commitment to establish a mechanism to address forced labor claims. ¶3. (C) Horsey noted that holding talks in Geneva would keep the discussions from progressing quickly, because the Ambassador does not have the authority to make decisions, and would have to await instructions from senior leaders in Burma. A benefit of having the talks take place in Geneva, according to Horsey, is that the ILO could keep consistent pressure focused on the Burma representative there. ¶4. (C) Horsey also noted that the Supreme Court agreed to hear the case of lawyer Aye Myint on July 22, after lower courts had refused his appeals. At the ILC, members called on the GOB to release Aye Myint by the end of July. Horsey said that he expected the Court would release Aye Myint, just before the deadline. Horsey said that he also would be closely watching to see if the GOB applies its moratorium on prosecution of forced labor claimants to three defendants currently under prosecution in Aunglan. ILO members highlighted these cases as a test of GOB commitment. ¶5. (C) Comment: The GOB response, while minimal, is positive. Any dialogue is better than the intransigence we have seen over the past year. While acknowledging the baby steps forward, sustained international pressure will be required for the GOB to understand it must take action to halt forced labor. End comment. VILLAROSA