IRISH VIEWS ON BURMA

C O N F I D E N T I A L DUBLIN 000821

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

EAP/MLS AARON COPE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/26/2017
TAGS: EI PGOV PHUM
SUBJECT: IRISH VIEWS ON BURMA

REF: A. STATE 148530

B. STATE 146862

C. STATE 142626

Classified By: POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC SECTION CHIEF TED PIERCE, REASONS
1.4 (B) AND (D)


1. (C) SUMMARY: POLOFF DISCUSSED REF A AND DELIVERED REFS B
AND C WITH ISOLDE MOYLAN, REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR ASIA AND
OCEANIA, AND CONLETH BRADY, DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR ASIA AND
OCEANIA, DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS (DFA) ON OCTOBER 26,

2007. MOYLAN AND BRADY REAFFIRMED THAT IRELAND REMAINED
LARGELY ON THE SAME PAGE WITH USG ON BURMA AND WOULD CONTINUE
TO TAKE WHAT ACTIONS IRELAND COULD IN CONCERT WITH THE EU TO
ENCOURAGE DEMOCRACY AND RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS IN BURMA.
END SUMMARY.


2. (C) REGARDING THE EU-ASEAN SUMMIT (REF A),MOYLAN SAID THE
EU WOULD BE UNWILLING TO EXCLUDE BURMA FROM THE SUMMIT.
WHILE IRELAND WOULD HOPE FOR LOWER-LEVEL REPRESENTATION FROM
BURMA, SHE NOTED THAT SIMILAR REQUESTS TO ASEAN IN THE PAST
HAVE NOT BEEN WELCOMED. ASEAN REPS WOULD BE UNWILLING TO
ATTEND IF BURMA WAS NOT REPRESENTED AT A HIGH LEVEL, AND THE
EU HAS NEVER BEEN ABLE TO BREAK SUCH BARRIERS WITH ASEAN IN
THE PAST, SHE ADDED. IRELAND'S MAIN ROADS TO PROGRESS IN
BURMA WILL REMAIN UN ENVOY IBRAHIM GAMBARI'S EFFORTS AND
ENCOURAGING BURMA'S NEIGHBORS TO DO MORE, ACCORDING TO
MOYLAN. SHE NOTED THAT RECENT SIGNS FROM CHINA HAVE BEEN
SIGNIFICANT, BUT MORE IS NEEDED. THE EU PRESIDENCY WILL NEED
TO FIND A CLEAR MANDATE TO RAISE THE ISSUES OF HUMAN RIGHTS
AND A TRANSITION TO CIVILIAN GOVERNMENT IN A SERIOUS WAY
OUTSIDE OF THE PLENARY SESSION, MOYLAN SAID, BUT AFFIRMED
THAT IRELAND IS FULLY ON BOARD WITH THE USG POSITION.


3. (C) IRISH ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS ARE FUNDED MOSTLY THROUGH
NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS (NGOS) WHICH OPERATE THEIR OWN
CIVIL SOCIETY, HUMAN RIGHTS, AND AID ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS ON
THE GROUND, ACCORDING TO BRADY. THIS PREVENTS DIRECT BURMESE
GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT, BRADY SAID. IRELAND IS SEEKING TO
TARGET PROGRAMS THAT SUPPORT DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS. THE
DFA WAS NOT AWARE OF ANY DIRECT COORDINATION WITH OTHER
DONORS IN BURMA, ALTHOUGH BRADY NOTED THAT TROCAIRE DOES
COORDINATE WITH OTHER GROUPS. IRISH AID ALSO SUPPORTS UNICEF
AND THE WORLD FOOD PROGRAM IN BURMA, THE CIVIL SOCIETY FUND
AND MULTI-ANNUAL PROGRAM SCHEME, THE VOLUNTARY SERVICE
OVERSEAS ORGANIZATION, AND BURMA ACTION IRELAND, WHICH WORKS
TO RAISE ASSIST THEIR WORK RAISING AWARENESS OF HUMAN RIGHTS
VIOLATIONS IN BURMA.


4. (C) REGARDING SANCTIONS AGAINST THE BURMESE REGIME (REF
B),MOYLAN SAID THAT IRELAND WOULD CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE
EU AND FOLLOW PROVISIONS FOR EU SANCTIONS AGAINST BURMA, WITH
EXEMPTIONS FOR DEMOCRATIZATION AND HUMAN RIGHTS ASSISTANCE.
PARTICULAR EU SANCTIONS OF NOTE INCLUDE LOGGING AND THE
MINING OF PRECIOUS METALS AND STONES. THE POLITICAL DECISION
HAS BEEN TAKEN AT THE EU LEVEL, MOYLAN SAID, AND PASSING THE
IMPLEMENTING LEGISLATION IS THE KEY. THE RECENT PROBLEMS IN
BURMA OFFER A WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY TO FOCUS ON HUMAN RIGHTS
AND DEMOCRATIZATION, MOYLAN SAID, AND IRELAND WOULD CONTINUE
TO ASSIST ADVOCACY GROUPS. THE EU MAY ALSO CONSIDER AN EU
SPECIAL ENVOY FOR BURMA, MOYLAN NOTED, ALTHOUGH A DECISION ON
THAT ISSUE WOULD ONLY COME IN CONSULTATION WITH UN ENVOY
GAMBARI.


5. (C) REGARDING ENCOURAGING SUPPORT FOR DEMOCRACY IN BURMA
(REF C),MOYLAN SAID THAT IRELAND HAS NO DEDICATED ECONOMIC
AID PROGRAM TO BURMA, WHICH IS PRECLUDED UNTIL THERE IS "REAL
POLITICAL CHANGE" IN THE COUNTRY. THE POLITICAL SITUATION
ALSO MAKES IT HARD TO IMPLEMENT HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE,
MOYLAN SAID, ALTHOUGH IRELAND'S HUMANITARIAN AND CIVIL
SOCIETY AID WILL REMAIN AROUND ITS CURRENT LEVEL, CLOSE TO
100,000 EUROS PER YEAR. CONDITIONS FOR IRISH ASSISTANCE TO
BURMA ARE SET OUT IN THE 1996 EUROPEAN COUNCIL COMMON
POSITION, WHICH PLACES CONDITIONS ON ASSISTANCE TO BURMA WITH
EXCEPTIONS FOR THE SUPPORT OF HUMAN RIGHTS, DEMOCRACY,
POVERTY ALLEVIATION, ASSISTANCE TO NGOS AND CIVIL SOCIETY,
AND HEALTH AND EDUCATION.


6. (C) MOYLAN ADDED THAT IRELAND AND THE EU ARE UNLIKELY TO
SUPPORT REGIME CHANGE AND EXPRESSED SOME CONCERN ABOUT
PERCEIVED U.S. STATEMENTS ON THAT ISSUE. POLOFF REFERRED
MOYLAN BACK TO THE PRESIDENT'S STATEMENT AT UNGA AND OTHER
STATEMENTS DETAILED IN REF B FOR A FULL VIEW OF WHERE THE
U.S. STANDS ON BURMA.
FOLEY