BURMESE ALLEGE US SUPPORT FOR VIOLENT ATTACKS

C O N F I D E N T I A L BANGKOK 005568 SIPDIS SIPDIS NSC FOR PHU E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/25/2017 TAGS: PHUM PREL TH BM SUBJECT: BURMESE ALLEGE US SUPPORT FOR VIOLENT ATTACKS Classified By: Ambassador Ralph L. Boyce, reason 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: The Burmese MFA strongly criticized the Thai position on Burma, and alleged US support for armed violence against Burma by the Karen National Union. The accusations were made in a recent meeting between the Burmese deputy foreign minister U Maung Myint and the Thai ambassador, according to the Thai MFA permanent secretary. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) Thai MFA permanent secretary Virasakdi Futrukul (protect) told Ambassador on October 26 about criticisms and accusations made by the Burmese MFA. He said that the Burmese DFM had called in the Thai ambassador following the recent visit of UN envoy Gambari in Bangkok At the end of that visit, Prime Minister Surayud had publicly commented on the possibility of creating a mechanism along the lines of the six-party talks used for North Korea. The Burmese side criticized these comments sharply, saying they hoped that Surayud had been misquoted, and labeling the comments as interference in Burma's internal affairs. The DFM threatened unspecified repercussions. ¶3. (C) According to Virasakdi, the DFM then read from a Burmese "intelligence report," claiming that US military officials had met with Karen National Union (KNU) leaders in Mae Sot (Thailand) on October 6. They further claimed that, on October 10, "Col. George Smith of the US Marines" and an Embassy officer had met the KNU again. DFM U Maung Myint further claimed that the US was providing grenades, night vision goggles, and patrol boats to the KNU, and would help KNU forces to attack a cement factory inside Burma. Finally, he claimed that the US was using the diplomatic pouch to bring weapons for the ethnic opposition groups into Thailand, and he asked Thailand to stop this from continuing. ¶4. (C) The Ambassador told Virasakdi that the charges were, of course, untrue. Virasakdi appeared to accept this, but noted that he had seen a transcript of a Congressional hearing in which a member of Congress had asked an administration official why the USG was not arming the ethnic resistance groups. ¶5. (C) COMMENT: We are double checking, and cannot find any indication of a military officer or US official of any kind having meetings on the dates specified. We do meet with representatives of ethnic groups, including the KNU, in Mae Sot and other places, and will continue to do so. For example, Congen Chiang Mai poloff met with KNU officials in Mae Sot on October 4. The efforts to link the US to armed insurgent activity are troubling, and may be difficult to tamp down. We cannot, of course, rule out or control private American support to armed groups in Burma. BOYCE