LATVIA AND HUMAN RIGHTS IN BURMA

UNCLAS RIGA 000772 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PHUM BM LG SUBJECT: LATVIA AND HUMAN RIGHTS IN BURMA REF: A) STATE 142626, B) RIGA 00738 ¶1. (SBU) PolEconOff delivered reftel points October 12 to Signe Jansone, the A/S level official that covers Asia at the MFA. Jansone responded on October 16 that the GOL does not plan to provide foreign assistance to Burma for 2008. She stated that The GOL and NGO sector in Latvia are concentrating their efforts to promote human rights and democracy on their eastern neighbors--such as Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus, and Georgia. ¶2. (SBU) However, Jansone noted that in January of 2007 she met with a representative of Freedom Now and Nyo Ohn Myint, cofounder of the Burma National party. This meeting was in cooperation with the Soros Foundation Latvia. She added that in February 2004 Latvian representatives of European Youth Human Rights-Net organized an action called "Free Burma!" that gathered signatures. ¶3. (SBU) Ref B notes the GOL's broader support for reform and progress in Burma. BAILEY