U.N. ADVISOR ON BURMA ENCOURAGES INDIA TO PROMOTE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 003318

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/20/2017
TAGS: PREL KDEM MARR MASS PGOV PHUM BM IN
SUBJECT: U.N. ADVISOR ON BURMA ENCOURAGES INDIA TO PROMOTE
DEMOCRACY

REF: A. BEIJING 4603

B. IIR 6 844 0752 07

Classified By: Acting PolCouns Atul Keshap for Reasons 1.4 (B,D)


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The UN Secretary General's Special Advisor
on Burma, Ibrahim Gambari, met with Ministry of External
Affairs (MEA) Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon during a
July 10-12 visit to New Delhi. According to the MEA, Gambari
recognized India's ability to influence Burma, and expressed
modest optimism for future collaboration, telling Menon that
India could "do something" to promote democracy in Burma.
Meanwhile, a report issued by European NGOs warned of India's
impending sale of attack helicopters to Burma that include
components and technology originating from the European Union
(EU). NGOs claim such a sale would be a violation in sprit,
if not in letter, of end-use agreements for military hardware
between India and the EU, given the EU's arms embargo against
Burma. India is unlikely to reduce its engagement with Burma
due to its realpolitik calculus that such ties reduce the
junta's dependence on Beijing, and induce the regime to
provide essential support to India's counter-insurgency
operations in the North East. END SUMMARY

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UN Enlists India for Burmese Democratization
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2. (C) The UN Secretary General's Special Advisor on Burma,
Ibrahim Gambari, briefed MEA Foreign Secretary Shivshankar
Menon July 12 on the UN's mission and the democratic process
in Burma, MEA Under Secretary for Burma Pratibha Parkar told
PolOff July 13. According to Parkar, Gambari told Menon that
India "could do something" to promote democracy in Burma,
noting that the US Government (USG) was interested in
"pressing Burma towards democracy," and suggested that India
could assist the US in that endeavor. Menon had concurred
with Gambari's views, Parkar stated.


3. (U) Gambari stated to the press on July 13 that "we urge
(the Government of India (GOI)) to encourage the authorities
in (Burma) to build on the positive steps they are making ...
(and) send positive messages to reinforce those tentative
steps." Gambari reportedly described Menon as "very, very,
constructive, very free, very open, very candid," and told
the media that "the (GOI) see(s) some synergy in terms of our
approach, strategies ... so we intend to build on that ... I
don't see any discrepancy in terms of our approach and
theirs. On the contrary, I really am encouraged by the level
of understanding between us."


4. (C) Special Envoy Shyam Saran, who served as Ambassador to
Burma in the late 1990s, told poloff July 18 that the
meetings with Gambari went well. He relayed that the Burmese
work well with Gambari, as opposed to his Malaysian
predecessor, and he believed that Gambari would soon visit
Aung San Suu Kyi again.

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NGOs Go After Indian Helicopter Sale to Burma
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5. (U) In a related development, the BBC reported July 16
that the "European arms embargo against Burma is being
threatened by Indian plans to sell an attack helicopter to
the Rangoon regime." India's Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH)
has components and technology from European Union member
sttes France, Belgium, the UK, Germany, Sweden, and Italy,
according to the news outlet, which noted the need for
vigilance in composing and monitoring end-use agreements for
international arms transfers. The report concluded that,
while "India is not itself restricted by (the EU's) arms
ban," various European NGOs, including Amnesty International,
are calling "on the EU to begin immediate consultations with
(the GOI) to press for a rethink on the plan." The GOI had
no public response to the report.

NEW DELHI 00003318 002 OF 002



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India's Motivations
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6. (C) India's policy toward Burma has veered toward a focus
on reducing the junta's dependence on China and securing its
support in flushing out North-Eastern insurgent groups.
Leading human rights activist Ravi Nair lamented that India
had moved away from its past support for human rights in
Burma in an effort to secure these two strategic objectives.
He assessed that China's "string of pearls" strategy and
inroads by North-Eastern insurgents made the Mandarins of
South Block nervous enough to move human rights to the
background in their interaction with Burma.

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Realpolitik Trumps Human Rights
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7. COMMENT: It is a positive sign that the GOI is talking to
the UN, especially with the openness that Gambari described
to the press. However, the GOI is clearly not putting its
money where its mouth is - evidenced by its securing defense
relationships with the junta. EU members will likely not
heed calls by NGOs to lodge even perfunctory protests with
the GOI regarding the helicopter deal, as any such protests
would fall on deaf ears, and could prove counter-productive
in a country sensitive to external influences on its foreign
policy. The GOI is too concerned about growing Chinese
influence in Burma and too desirous of the regime's support
in countering North-Eastern insurgent groups to sacrifice an
opportunity for closer India-Burma ties solely due to humah
rights considerations. We will persist in trying to get
India to do more to pressure the Burmese on human rights.
END COMMENT
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