BURMA REGIME WARNS AMERICAN CENTER, BRITISH COUNCIL

C O N F I D E N T I A L RANGOON 000184 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP/MLS, EAP/PD E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/23/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL KPAO BM SUBJECT: BURMA REGIME WARNS AMERICAN CENTER, BRITISH COUNCIL Classified By: DCM Karl Stoltz for Reason 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: The MFA Deputy Director General of Protocol summoned DCMs from the U.S. and U.K. embassies on February 23 to issue a warning about public affairs activities of the embassy's American Center and the British Council. He stated that institutions that teach or provide information to the public must be registered with the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Information, and asked that security authorities be informed in advance of public events. The MFA does not intend to follow up this warning in writing. We plan to continue business as usual, while cognizant of the regime's heightened scrutiny. End summary. ¶2. (SBU) On February 23, DCM Karl Stoltz was called to Ministry of Foreign Affairs by Deputy Director-General of Protocol U Soe Win. A protocol division director with intelligence connections, U Khin Maung Htay, and an MFA note-taker also attended. U Soe Win said the American Center was conducting a range of teaching classes and that, under the Myanmar Education Law of 1984, all classes must be registered with the Ministry of Education. He added that, under a 1964 law on libraries, all libraries must be registered with the Ministry of Information and must submit a list of all books and other materials they have on hand for public use. ¶3. (SBU) U Soe Win also cited Articles 3 and 41 of the Vienna Convention, paraphrasing that diplomatic activities must be beneficial to the interests of both the foreign mission and the host country, and that diplomatic missions must obey the laws of the host country and not interfere in their internal affairs. He said that he had also met with the DCM of the U.K. Embassy on February 23 and delivered the same message about the activities of the British Council. ¶4. (SBU) The Protocol Deputy Director added that, the previous day, the American Center had hosted "a large group of students" who made "speeches and conducted political activities." He asked that any such meetings in the future be coordinated in advance with Burmese authorities, particularly security officials, to ensure proper "crowd control." ¶5. (SBU) DCM Stoltz responded that the American Center was open to all, including government officials, and had nothing to hide. He said that the Embassy is fully aware of its Vienna Convention obligations, and that similar U.S. English teaching programs and information centers operate around the world. ¶6. (SBU) U Soe Win said the MFA did not intend to follow-up on the meeting via diplomatic note, although he offered to send us copies of relevant Burmese laws. PAO Pierce was also summoned to a meeting at MFA on February 6, where the Director General of Protocol complained about activities at the American Center's Open House in January. The DCM used the February 23 meeting to reiterate that the American Center did not distribute any political materials at its Open House, and invited MFA officials to attend American Center events in person and see for themselves that we have nothing to hide. ¶7. (C) COMMENT: The tone of today's meeting was relaxed and cordial, and U Soe Win made it clear he was a reluctant messenger. However, these two MFA meetings and recent inquiries from city tax officials about English teaching revenues show that American Center programs are under heightened scrutiny. Regime media and government officials regularly criticize our public affairs programs and those who attend them. As in the past, we intend to ride out this extra attention with business as usual; the British plan to do the same. VILLAROSA