GORDON BROWN TO ISSUE LETTER TO G7 AND IFIS ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LONDON 003938

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/15/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM EAID BM UK
SUBJECT: GORDON BROWN TO ISSUE LETTER TO G7 AND IFIS ON
BURMA

REF: 142626

Classified By: Political Counselor Richard Mills for reasons 1.4 (b,d)


1. (C) Summary: Prime Minister Gordon Brown is considering
sending a letter to G-7 participants, China, India, the IMF
and the World Bank on how to support democracy in Burma. The
London-based newspaper the Independent erroneously reported
October 15 that the Prime Minister had already sent such a
letter. We spoke with Foreign Office Burma Director Nick
Alexander, also on October 15, who explained that Brown is
very interested in using the IFIS and the world's economic
community to discuss how to bring about democracy in Burma
and is examining a draft text which he may sign as early as
October 15. Alexander clarified that HMG is not/not
suggesting any kind of donor mechanism be established for
Burma. Brown made a statement October 15 prior to the EU
Summit in Lisbon in which he says the international community
stands ready "to support the recovery of Burma with aid and
other support." End Summary.

British Foreign Assistance in Burma
--------------


2. (C) We delivered reftel demarche inquiring into the
British government's foreign assistance to Burma and details
on its support on human rights and democracy programs to the
Foreign Office (FCO) October 15. FCO Burma Director Nick
Alexander said HMG does not give any moneys to the Burmese
government. It does give funds to international NGOs and
through the UN for the purposes of providing humanitarian
assistance and supporting democracy and human rights.
Alexander said HMG policy regarding willingness to use
international organizations on the ground in Burma as aid
recipients is "where we differ with the USG" and that the
British government believes providing such funds "can still
be of value." He added that DfID, the UK AID equivalent,
would be making public its plans to disburse funds to Burma
in reports to Parliament later this week. DfID's mandate is
to use British foreign assistance to provide aid to the
world's poorest nations for the purpose of poverty
eradication.

Brown's Letter to the G7, Asia and the IFIS
--------------


3. (C) We asked Alexander about press reports on October 15
that Prime Minister Gordon Brown had sent a letter to G7
counterparts "calling for a billion-pound aid package from
rich nations to encourage Burma's ruling military junta to
move towards democracy." Alexander said the press had "got
it wrong" and that the Prime Minister was considering the
draft text of a letter to the G7, China, India, the World
Bank and the IMF about how to use economic measures to move
Burma to democracy. Brown may issue such a letter as early
as October 15. We asked Alexander if HMG was looking to
build consensus for some kind of donors' conference for
Burma; Alexander was adamant that this is not the case. He
said Brown's letter was meant to begin a discussion about a
"positive vision for Burma" and to get key players, not least
Burma's neighbors, to "start thinking about how to promote
democracy" and to portray international interest in seeing
democracy in Burma as more than "punitive" to the current
military regime. Alexander said Brown was thinking about how
to use economics to move democracy, much as the international
community was looking to UN Envoy Gambari to carry forward
political dialogue.

Comment: Brown to Raise Burma in Lisbon
--------------


4. (C) HMG is very engaged on Burma and has largely sought
to be in lock step with the USG in developing policy toward
Burma. The Foreign Office has, unusually, set up a crisis
cell to manage the issue. HMG has already passed the USG a
non-paper with British views on how to strengthen the Gambari
mission and achieve national reconciliation through dialogue.
We know British officials have also been lobbying Burma's
neighbors. Brown made a strong statement October 15 about
his intentions to raise Burma in Lisbon at the EU Summit,
saying:

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"Burma must take clear steps toward the return of democracy.
The Security Council should meet again to review the results.
If Progress is insufficient, the Council will need to
consider further measures...I want to be clear if this
process of change begins we stand ready - as the
international community -- to support the recovery of Burma
with aid and other support."

While the FCO is adamant that Britain is not conceiving of
calling for any kind of donors conference by any other name
now, it appears from Brown's comments pre-Lisbon that he is
interested in opening a discussion of economic inducements he
thinks might be used to push Burma (and Burma's neighbors to
push) towards democracy.

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