BURMA: UN FINALLY TALKS TO US ABOUT GAMBARI'S VISIT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 000985 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP/MLS, DRL, AND IO PACOM FOR FPA E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/04/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM BM SUBJECT: BURMA: UN FINALLY TALKS TO US ABOUT GAMBARI'S VISIT REF: SINGAPORE 1852 RANGOON 00000985 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: P/E Chief Leslie Hayden for Reasons 1.4 (b) & (d) ¶1. (C) Summary: UN Resident Coordinator told us today Gambari's schedule had undergone intense negotiation during his three day stay in Burma. The regime eventually relented to grant Gambari meetings with Aung San Suu Kyi and Senior General Than Shwe. While in Lashio, Gambari dropped by a rally to support the National Convention staged by the regime. Gambari conveyed the message of the UNSYG and the UNSC to Than Shwe, and urged access for the ICRC, an end to detentions and arrests, and a more open "roadmap to democracy." End summary. ¶2. (C) UN Resident Coordinator Charles Petrie finally provided a brief readout of the "context" of Gambari's visit to us today. Petrie had declined to provide us any information until we pushed him to explain why the U.S. was not included in an October 4 briefing Petrie provided to EU Ambassadors and additional briefings today for the Chinese and Indian Ambassadors. ¶3. (C) Petrie told us the message of Gambari's mission was that it had "exceeded expectations." Before he arrived, Petre explained, Gambari had been given a suggested twenty-four hour program he could not accept. On arrival at Yangon International Airport, Gambari consulted with the Chinese Ambassador who assured him the Burmese government was willing to show flexibility and allow him to meet with Aung San Suu Kyi and the senior generals. Gambari then flew to Nay Pyi Taw where he dined with The Minister of Information, the Minister of Culture, and Deputy Foreign Minister Kyaw Thu. They presented him with another twenty-four hour program consisting of a meeting in Nay Pyi Taw with Secretary One and Acting Prime Minister Thein Sein, followed by a flight back to Rangoon to meet with Aung San Suu Kyi. Gambari was told the senior general could not meet with him because doing so would "convey equivalence" of Than Shwe and Aung San Suu Kyi. ¶4. (C) Gambari reached a compromise by agreeing to fly to Lashio and Muse to survey Burma's progress in development, whereafter he would meet with Than Shwe on Tuesday morning before flying back to Rangoon to meet once again with Aung San Suu Kyi. Petrie assured us that reports Gambari had participated in Track II sessions in Lashio were false, although he told us Gambari had agreed to stop by a rally to support the National Convention. The regime requested he attend the rally for two hours but Petrie assured us Gambari had only dropped-by for five minutes. Separately, Track II participants confirmed they had traveled separately from Gambari, but right behind each other. ¶5. (C) Petrie said Gambari had very substantive discussions with Aung San Suu Kyi and that Gambari would reveal the details of his conversations with her and Than Shwe to the UNSC today. Petrie said Gambari conveyed the concerns of UNSYG Ban Ki Moon and the Security Council to Than Shwe, requested access for ICRC, and demanded an end to the arrests and detentions. Gambari also urged that the regime address poverty reduction, initiate an open political dialogue, and enrich the participation and openness of the seven-step roadmap to democracy. ¶6. (C) Comment: We are glad we finally received a readout, however limited and late, of Gambari's visit. It is extremely troubling that the U.S. was repeatedly excluded from Petrie's numerous other briefings for other members of the diplomatic corps. Gambari's supposed ban on any briefings has also been violated by Gambari himself in Singapore (reftel). We suspect Gambari, by claiming his meetings "exceeded expectations," is trying to put the most positive spin on his visit so that members overlook the fact that he was only permitted to go and see those whom Than Shwe would permit. He met with no political activists or monks. Petrie blames the U.S. for frustrating his efforts to de-link political considerations from humanitarian assistance. End RANGOON 00000985 002.2 OF 002 comment. VILLAROSA