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