IRISH VIEW OF ARGETED SANCTIONS ON KEY BURMESE

C O N F I D E N T I A L DULIN 000903 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/14/207 TAGS: PGOV PHUM EI SUBJECT: IRISH VIEW OF ARGETED SANCTIONS ON KEY BURMESE BANKS REF: STTE 164893 Classified By: Pol/Econ Chief Ted Piece; easons 1.4 (B) and (D). ¶1. (U) POLOFF dlivered reftel demarche on December 13 to IsoldeMoylan, Director, Asia & Oceania Division, Departmnt of Foreign Affairs. Moylan had just returned rom a meeting of the EU Burma Expets Group in Brussels. ¶2. (C) According to Moylan, the Experts Group split into two camps; one group wished to take positive action to cajole the Burmese regime into greater cooperation; the other advocated broader financial sanctions (Ireland included). In the end, the Experts Group agreed to explore -- behind the scenes -- what would be required in order to introduce stronger financial sanctions. ¶3. (C) Moylan expressed deep Irish disappointment at recent events, including the ASEAN meeting in Singapore where fellow Asian state leaders closed ranks in "protection" of the Burmese regime, and Burma's continued stonewalling of UN Special Envoy to Burma Ibrahim Gambari. In her view, the Burmese regime believes it has outmaneuvered the international community. ¶4. (C) Nonetheless, Moylan said that the EU is really starting to focus on Burma. She predicted that Burma would be a hot topic during the January GAERC. If there is no change for the better by that time, she suggested, the EU will have a bigger appetite for more severe financial sanctions. FOLEY