Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07BRUSSELS3052
2007-10-02 14:21:00
CONFIDENTIAL
USEU Brussels
Cable title:
EU RESPONSE TO KEEPING PRESSURE ON THE BURMESE
how-toVZCZCXRO4405 PP RUEHAG RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHROV DE RUEHBS #3052/01 2751421 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 021421Z OCT 07 FM USEU BRUSSELS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS COLLECTIVE RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA PRIORITY RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY RUEHSL/AMEMBASSY BRATISLAVA PRIORITY RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY RUEHDO/AMEMBASSY DOHA PRIORITY RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA PRIORITY RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PRIORITY RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY RUEHZP/AMEMBASSY PANAMA PRIORITY RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA PRIORITY RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL PRIORITY RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 003052
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/MLS AARON COPE AND EUR/ERA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/01/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM BM EUN
SUBJECT: EU RESPONSE TO KEEPING PRESSURE ON THE BURMESE
REGIME
REF: SECSTATE 137644
Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Laurence Wohlers for reason
s 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 003052
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/MLS AARON COPE AND EUR/ERA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/01/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM BM EUN
SUBJECT: EU RESPONSE TO KEEPING PRESSURE ON THE BURMESE
REGIME
REF: SECSTATE 137644
Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Laurence Wohlers for reason
s 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) Summary: EU Council and Commission contacts expressed
their agreement with reftel points and explained that intense
EU discussions are continuing on internal and external
measures designed to keep pressure on the Burmese regime in
response to the recent violent crackdown on protesters.
Member states are discussing reinforced and new sanctions,
and will likely send HR Solana's Personal Representative on
Human Rights to Burma soon. The EU is also delivering
demarches to ASEAN and other neighboring states to emphasize
the importance of pushing the regime on reform and restraint.
Burma has been put on the agenda for discussion at the
October 16 GAERC meeting, and Council and Commission
interlocutors expressed their eagerness to continue to
coordinate on these issues. End Summary.
2. (C) In separate meetings, Council Secretariat Deputy Head
of Asia Unit Antonio Tanca, Council Burma desk officer
Friederike Tschampa, and Commission Southeast Asia Unit Head
Seamus Gillespie said that member states are considering both
reinforced and new sanctions on the regime. Tightening
existing measures is the most practical and efficient way the
EU can respond since the legal groundwork for new sanctions
will take a minimum of ten days, according to Tschampa. She
said that the EU would need to be creative in constructing
the sanctions regime, as well as cautious about the
possibility of regional actors replacing any subsequent
Burmese regime financial losses resulting from the sanctions.
Gillespie elaborated that RELEX counselors are currently
examining the technical aspects of levying new sanctions,
including how new measures might affect the population vice
the regime, as well as compatibility with WTO laws. He shared
his personal view that while the focus on immediate measures
is necessary, what will be more effective in the long term is
examining the full spectrum of the regime's financial flows,
including banks in neighboring countries. Member states are
showing some hesitancy in considering more comprehensive,
longer term programs, however.
3. (C) Our interlocutors confirmed that the EU continues to
discuss sending an EU envoy or delegation to the region, but
the time frame is not yet certain. Riina Kionka, HR Solana's
Personal Representative on Human Rights, will be the likely
candidate, although it remains undecided whether she would
travel as part of a EU troika delegation or in her own
capacity as Solana's envoy. Tschampa said that the option of
sending a higher-level, possibly ministerial troika
delegation was also still on the table, but a delegation of
that nature was a less-immediate prospect, and if such travel
took place, it would likely only happen after Kionka's trip.
Tanca and Tschampa emphasized that the regime would have to
exhibit a greater willingness to engage in real dialogue
before the EU would send its ministers. In response, Poloff
reiterated the need for caution to ensure that the regime did
not twist any potential direct engagement to enhance its
credibility. Efforts are also underway to secure access to
Burma for EU ambassadors posted to Thailand.
4. (C) Tschampa and Gillespie noted that the EU is also
delivering its own demarches to ASEAN members and other
states in the region to underscore the importance of
maintaining pressure on the regime, as well as need for a
peaceful transition to a democratic government in Burma.
Gillespie described the Commission's concern that if the
situation in soon stabilizes, Burma's neighbors will consider
themselves off the hook to try to influence the regime in a
positive direction. It will therefore be important to remind
those countries that provide a "comfort zone" for Burma of
BRUSSELS 00003052 002 OF 002
their responsibilities. Gillespie went on to speculate that a
deterioration of the situation could negatively impact
EU-ASEAN FTA negotiations as well as the late November
EU-ASEAN commemorative summit meeting.
GRAY
.
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/MLS AARON COPE AND EUR/ERA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/01/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM BM EUN
SUBJECT: EU RESPONSE TO KEEPING PRESSURE ON THE BURMESE
REGIME
REF: SECSTATE 137644
Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Laurence Wohlers for reason
s 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) Summary: EU Council and Commission contacts expressed
their agreement with reftel points and explained that intense
EU discussions are continuing on internal and external
measures designed to keep pressure on the Burmese regime in
response to the recent violent crackdown on protesters.
Member states are discussing reinforced and new sanctions,
and will likely send HR Solana's Personal Representative on
Human Rights to Burma soon. The EU is also delivering
demarches to ASEAN and other neighboring states to emphasize
the importance of pushing the regime on reform and restraint.
Burma has been put on the agenda for discussion at the
October 16 GAERC meeting, and Council and Commission
interlocutors expressed their eagerness to continue to
coordinate on these issues. End Summary.
2. (C) In separate meetings, Council Secretariat Deputy Head
of Asia Unit Antonio Tanca, Council Burma desk officer
Friederike Tschampa, and Commission Southeast Asia Unit Head
Seamus Gillespie said that member states are considering both
reinforced and new sanctions on the regime. Tightening
existing measures is the most practical and efficient way the
EU can respond since the legal groundwork for new sanctions
will take a minimum of ten days, according to Tschampa. She
said that the EU would need to be creative in constructing
the sanctions regime, as well as cautious about the
possibility of regional actors replacing any subsequent
Burmese regime financial losses resulting from the sanctions.
Gillespie elaborated that RELEX counselors are currently
examining the technical aspects of levying new sanctions,
including how new measures might affect the population vice
the regime, as well as compatibility with WTO laws. He shared
his personal view that while the focus on immediate measures
is necessary, what will be more effective in the long term is
examining the full spectrum of the regime's financial flows,
including banks in neighboring countries. Member states are
showing some hesitancy in considering more comprehensive,
longer term programs, however.
3. (C) Our interlocutors confirmed that the EU continues to
discuss sending an EU envoy or delegation to the region, but
the time frame is not yet certain. Riina Kionka, HR Solana's
Personal Representative on Human Rights, will be the likely
candidate, although it remains undecided whether she would
travel as part of a EU troika delegation or in her own
capacity as Solana's envoy. Tschampa said that the option of
sending a higher-level, possibly ministerial troika
delegation was also still on the table, but a delegation of
that nature was a less-immediate prospect, and if such travel
took place, it would likely only happen after Kionka's trip.
Tanca and Tschampa emphasized that the regime would have to
exhibit a greater willingness to engage in real dialogue
before the EU would send its ministers. In response, Poloff
reiterated the need for caution to ensure that the regime did
not twist any potential direct engagement to enhance its
credibility. Efforts are also underway to secure access to
Burma for EU ambassadors posted to Thailand.
4. (C) Tschampa and Gillespie noted that the EU is also
delivering its own demarches to ASEAN members and other
states in the region to underscore the importance of
maintaining pressure on the regime, as well as need for a
peaceful transition to a democratic government in Burma.
Gillespie described the Commission's concern that if the
situation in soon stabilizes, Burma's neighbors will consider
themselves off the hook to try to influence the regime in a
positive direction. It will therefore be important to remind
those countries that provide a "comfort zone" for Burma of
BRUSSELS 00003052 002 OF 002
their responsibilities. Gillespie went on to speculate that a
deterioration of the situation could negatively impact
EU-ASEAN FTA negotiations as well as the late November
EU-ASEAN commemorative summit meeting.
GRAY
.