PRESSING GOS ON BURMA'S PARTICIPATION AT ASEAN AND

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 SINGAPORE 001980

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/30/2017
TAGS: PHUM PREL BM SN
SUBJECT: PRESSING GOS ON BURMA'S PARTICIPATION AT ASEAN AND
EAST ASIA SUMMITS

REF: STATE 148530

Classified By: Ambassador Patricia L. Herbold. Reasons 1.4(b)(d)


1. (C) Summary: The DCM met with MFA Permanent Secretary
Peter Ho to express serious concern over Singapore's
invitation to new Burmese Prime Minister Thein Sein to attend
the ASEAN Summit in Singapore in November and to urge
Singapore not to go back to business as usual with the
Burmese regime. Ho asserted that Singapore has no choice but
to maintain its links with the Burmese regime, no matter how
odious it is. He argued that Singapore, as ASEAN Chair, has
to invite Burma to an ASEAN Summit, just as the United States
cannot exclude leaders like Castro or Ahmadinejad from
attending UN meetings. Singapore has no intention of
"sweeping Burma's problems under the carpet" and remains
active in reaching out to other key countries in support of
the efforts of UN Special Adviser Gambari. Ho said Gambari
was "leery" of proposals to set up "parallel tracks" with the
regime which could "dilute his efforts." End Summary.

Invitation to Burmese PM
--------------


2. (C) The DCM met with MFA Permanent Secretary Peter Ho on
October 30 to express serious concern over Singapore's
invitation to new Burmese Prime Minister Thein Sein to attend
the ASEAN Summit in Singapore in November and to urge
Singapore (reftel) not to go back to business as usual with
the Burmese regime. Ho said the Burmese regime will not see
the invitation as business as usual. The regime knows the
situation in Burma will be an issue at the ASEAN Summit and
related meetings. He asserted that Singapore must maintain
its communication links with the regime, no matter how odious
it is. Unlike the United States, Singapore cannot turn its
back on Burma because the two countries are part of the same
region, Ho asserted.

Burma at the Summits
--------------


3. (C) PM Thein Sein will likely come to Singapore for the
summits in November, Ho said. He argued that Singapore, as
ASEAN Chair, has to invite Burma to an ASEAN Summit, just as
the United States can not exclude leaders like Castro or
Ahmadinejad from attending UN meetings. The DCM said
Singapore's invitation creates the impression that ASEAN is
taking a step back in its treatment of Burma. Ho said it is
not a question of sending the right or wrong signal --
Burma is a member of ASEAN. Ho claimed that the other ASEAN
members would be "up in arms" if Singapore did not include
Burma.


4. (C) The DCM urged Singapore to push for strong statements
on Burma at the summits. Ho said he cannot "prejudge" the
matter and said any possible statements will depend on the
outcome of the leaders' discussions. Furthermore, it was too
soon to say what impact the visits next month to Burma by UN
Special Adviser Gambari and UN Human Rights Rapporteur
Pinheiro will have. Ho did say the leaders at the summits
will tell Burma that it cannot return to the status quo ante.


Not Business As Usual
--------------


5. (C) Ho argued that it was not business as usual for
Singapore with Burma. Singapore has been and remains very
active on the issue and has no intention of "sweeping Burma's
problems under the carpet." Singapore should be given credit
for its leadership in pushing through the ASEAN Chair
Statement of September 27. In addition, Foreign Minister
George Yeo visited Beijing and Tokyo from October 25-27 to
discuss Burma and will go to New Delhi for further discussion
on Burma in November. (Note: Ho declined to specify when in
November. End Note.) Ho also referred to FM Yeo's visit to
a Burmese temple in Singapore on October 19 where he said he
stood with the people of Burma.

Sanctions Will Not Work (Except for Air Bagan)
-------------- -


6. (C) The United States is looking for "quick and morally

SINGAPORE 00001980 002 OF 002


comfortable solutions" for Burma, Ho said, but examining
Burma's track record over the last fifty years, it is clear
that the regime is immune to outside pressure because it has
decided to isolate itself. Ho claimed that sanctions are
mere "pinpricks" that will have no effect. The DCM said
there is nothing wrong with the United States' pressing for
timely action on Burma or with our taking a stand on moral,
as opposed to "morally comfortable," grounds. The ASEAN
Chair's Statement of September 27 very appropriately took a
position on moral grounds, he pointed out.


7. (C) In response to the DCM's question, Ho confirmed local
press reports that Air Bagan has suspended its flights to
Singapore. He said that banks in Singapore had "pulled the
rug out from under them" due to the impact of U.S. sanctions.
The banks had judged the matter on their own without
prompting by the GOS, according to Ho.

Supporting Gambari
--------------


8. (C) Ho said that Gambari, who is presently in Singapore
waiting for permission to enter Burma, seeks statements of
support from the international community that he is the
person to engage with the Burmese regime. Gambari met with
FM Yeo on October 29 and told him he is happy with the
support he is getting from ASEAN, China, Japan, and India,
according to Ho. (Note: The Ambassador's October 30 meeting
with Gambari is reported septel. End Note.) Ho said Gambari
is "leery" of proposals to establish "parallel tracks" to the
Burmese regime which would "dilute his efforts." Ho noted
that Thailand had proposed multi-party talks to deal with
Burma, while Australia was interested in establishing an East
Asia Summit (EAS) troika or EAS envoy to approach the regime
and report back to the EAS foreign ministers. Ho claimed
that the other ASEAN and EAS members did not support these
initiatives.

Visit Embassy Singapore's Classified website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eap/singapore/ind ex.cfm
HERBOLD