BURMA -- FORMER GENERAL REVIEWS RECENT VISIT,

C O N F I D E N T I A L JAKARTA 002980

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS (COPE),IO, IO/UNP (WICKBERG)
NSC FOR EPHU

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/24/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM ID BM
SUBJECT: BURMA -- FORMER GENERAL REVIEWS RECENT VISIT,
MEETINGS WITH REGIME

REF: A. JAKARTA 2956 AND PREVIOUS


B. RANGOON 1052 AND PREVIOUS

Classified By: Pol/C Joseph Legend Novak, reasons 1.4 (b,d).


1. (C) SUMMARY -- On October 24, Lt. General (ret,d) Agus
Widjojo reviewed with Pol/C his recent visit to Burma for an
official funeral. Widjojo--serving as a special Indonesian
envoy--said he had met several regime figures on the margins
of the trip. Widjojo said he had urged the regime to work
with the democratic opposition and UN Special Envoy Gambari,
noting that Indonesia stood by to assist in any way feasible.
Widjojo said he had briefed the GOI on his visit. END
SUMMARY.


2. (C) TRIP TO BURMA -- Former general Agus Widjojo on
October 24 reviewed with Pol/C his recent visit to Burma for
the funeral of prime minister Soe Win. Widjojo had traveled
to Burma October 13-18 as part of a two-man official
delegation from Jakarta, which included senior Department of
Foreign Affairs (DEPLU) official Yuri Thamrin.


3. (C) REGIME MEETINGS -- Widjojo, who maintains close links
in the GOI, confirmed that he had met acting Prime Minister
Lt. General Thein Sein. Speaking on behalf of the Indonesian
government, Widjojo said he had urged the regime to exercise
restraint and try to find common ground with the democratic
opposition. Thein Sein had made no commitments on that
score, but had claimed the regime wanted "unity,
reconciliation, and stability." Also, he had promised to
continue to work with UN Special Envoy Ibrahim Gambari.
Widjojo said he had also urged the regime to work with
Indonesia and ASEAN in any way possible. Widjojo told Pol/C
he had stressed Indonesia,s own move away from a
military-backed autocracy to a democratic system as a
possible model for Burma.


4. (C) NO MEETING WITH OPPOSITION -- Widjojo said he had
expressed an interest in meeting with opposition figures,
such as Aung San Suu Kyi, but had not gotten anywhere. They
had met with Maj. General Aung Kyi, the regime envoy to ASSK,
who had assured them that the regime,s desire for dialogue
was real. Widjojo said he had told Aung Kyi that it was
important that ASSK be treated well and her detention ended.


5. (C) BRIEFING GOI -- Wrapping up, Widjojo said he had
briefed key Indonesian government officials about his trip.
Based on what he encountered, he believed that resolution of
the situation in Burma would be "very difficult," but he
hoped that Indonesia could play a positive role. Widjojo
said he did not know whether the Indonesian government
planned further efforts to reach out to the regime, above and
beyond his visit and President Yudhoyono,s recent exchange
of letters with regime strongman Than Shwe (Widjojo had
requested a meeting with Than Shwe, but that had not
occurred).


6. (C) STICKING TO THE BASICS -- Widjojo clearly was sent to
Burma due to his military background and close connections in
GOI circles. He is very capable, influential, and has taken
on tricky assignments before, including his current role as
Indonesia,s senior representative on the Commission for
Truth and Friendship with East Timor. Based on his comments,
WQojo hit the general themes re Indonesian policy towards
Burma: restraint; the regime should work with Gambari; and
Indonesia and ASEAN stand ready to help out if they can.

HUME