CANADA WILL KEEP UP PRESSURE ON BURMA

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 OTTAWA 001982

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DEPT FOR EAP/MLS AARON COPE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/24/2012
TAGS: PHUM CVIS PREL ETRD CA BM
SUBJECT: CANADA WILL KEEP UP PRESSURE ON BURMA

REF: A. STATE 146862


B. OTTAWA 1932

Classified By: PolMinCouns Scott Bellard, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) According to Deborah Paul, Director for the Southeast
Asia and Pacific Division of the Department of Foreign
Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT),Canada fully shares
our concern with the situation in Burma (ref a). The GOC has
already increased its diplomatic efforts to put pressure on
Burma, called for a special session of the Human Rights
Council to consider the case, and worked in support of the
appointment of Special Rapporteur Pineiro with the "right
mandate," she explained. DFAIT called in the Burmese charge
d'affaires to express concern, and separately convened other
heads of mission here to discuss the situation. Foreign
Minister Maxime Bernier wrote to the current ASEAN Chair to
thank ASEAN for its strong statement on Burma, while urging
ASEAN to do still more. She said that the response from
Singapore was that ASEAN was "seized" with the situation but
could not eject a member. Paul predicted that Canada would
attempt to convince ASEAN to do more when it hosts an
upcoming ASEAN meeting in Canada. The Canadian parliament
also recently passed a motion to make Aung San Suu Kyi an
honorary citizen of Canada (ref b). Paul underscored that
her office had prepared an even longer list of options that
Canada could employ to put additional pressure on Burma for
review by the Foreign Minister.


2. (C) Paul emphasized that, even before the current
crisis, Canada had a number of measures in place to pressure
the regime. She explained, however, that the GOC is limited
in what it can do, because Canadian law governing sanctions
establishes a very high threshold for allowing the government
to curtail commerce. (Note: In accordance with the Special
Economic Measures Act, absent a UNSC resolution, the GOC can
only impose sanctions if 1) it is implementing a resolution
by an international organization of which Canada is a member
that calls on its members to take economic measures against a
foreign state, or 2) the Canadian Governor General takes the
position on advice of the federal Cabinet that a grave breach
of international peace and security has occurred, which has
resulted or is likely to result in a serious international
crisis. End note) Beginning in 1988, the GOC cut off
bilateral aid as well as commercial support for companies
attempting to do business in Burma. In 1997, the GOC placed
Burma on Canada's Area Control List, which requires a permit
for Canadian companies to export to select countries and
limits exports to humanitarian goods. The only Canadian
exports to Burma of late have been HIV drugs. (The only
other country on the list is Belarus, which joined Burma last
year.) In 2003, Canada excluded Burma from its Least
Developed Country Market Access list. The GOC has also
instituted a very restrictive visa policy for senior members
of the Burmese government and military. In spring 2007,
then-Foreign Minister Mackay sent a letter to the few
Canadian companies known to do business in Burma urging them
to curtail their activities. The GOC has also required prior
approval for all travel outside Ottawa by Burmese diplomats.
Canada has for many years also included in all its talks with
China and India an exhortation to put pressure on the Burmese
regime, Paul noted.
Q

3. (U) On October 24, Foreign Minister Bernier issued the
following statement on the continued detention of Aung San
Suu Kyi:
quote
Today, Canada calls again for the immediate release of Aung
San Suu Kyi on the 12th anniversary of her captivity. In
recognition of her courageous struggle to bring freedom and
democracy to Burma, Canada's Parliament voted to confer
honorary citizenship on her, following a commitment by the
government in last week's Speech from the Throne. We
continue to call on the government of Burma to release all
other political prisoners and to engage in a genuine dialogue
with the democratic opposition.

Canada supports the efforts of the international community to
encourage freedom, democratic development, respect for human
rights and the rule of law in Burma. We welcome the efforts
of the United Nations Secretary General's Special Envoy,
Ibrahim Gambari, as well as those of the United Nations
Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in
Myanmar, Paulo Sergio Pinheiro. Canada calls upon the
government of Burma to facilitate their work.
end quote

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