Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07SINGAPORE2184
2007-12-12 05:21:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Singapore
Cable title:  

U/S BURNS' 12/3 MEETING WITH SINGAPORE PM LEE

Tags:  PREL SN BM CH IN AF JA 
pdf how-to read a cable
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ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 120521Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY SINGAPORE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4572
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE
RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 2068
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 0039
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 1905
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 4166
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 5791
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON 1404
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0155
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 SINGAPORE 002184 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/03/2017
TAGS: PREL SN BM CH IN AF JA
SUBJECT: U/S BURNS' 12/3 MEETING WITH SINGAPORE PM LEE

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

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 SINGAPORE 002184

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/03/2017
TAGS: PREL SN BM CH IN AF JA
SUBJECT: U/S BURNS' 12/3 MEETING WITH SINGAPORE PM LEE

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


1. (C) Summary: Under Secretary Burns urged in a December 3
meeting with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong that
Singapore and ASEAN do more to put pressure on the Burmese
regime to engage in genuine dialogue. PM Lee said ASEAN
would do its part, but claimed the real leverage lay with
China and India. Lee urged the United States to dispel
lingering misperceptions that it was biding its time until UN
Special Advisor Ibrahim Gambari stepped down. U/S Burns
stressed the USG fully supported Gambari but wanted him to
take a more active approach to foster dialogue inside Burma.
On China, PM Lee observed that Beijing had become more
skillful and sophisticated in conducting its relations with
Southeast Asia, in contrast to Japan and India, which
continued to lack focus and strategic vision. Lee called on
the United States to enhance its engagement with ASEAN. U/S
Burns urged Singapore to increase its contribution in
Afghanistan. Lee said Singapore hoped to modestly increase
its contribution, but was constrained by limited resources.
End Summary.

Burma
--------------


2. (C) Under Secretary Burns, joined by the Ambassador, met
Singapore Prime Minister Lee December 3 and urged that
Singapore and ASEAN do more to put pressure on the Burmese
regime to engage in genuine dialogue with the democratic
opposition. PM Lee said there were no easy options for
resolving the Burma problem. Short of a major upheaval, the
process would be a long one. The dialogue taking place was a
positive development, and Aung Sang Suu Kyi (ASSK) accepted
that the military must have a role in Burma's reform and
reconciliation. ASEAN would do its part, but the real
leverage lay with China and India, he asserted. However,
China feared a failed state on its doorstep and therefore
would strongly resist taking a hard line towards the junta.
The original ASEAN-6 -- Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the
Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand -- were more willing to
take a strong position against the regime, PM Lee said. In

contrast, the newer members were more cautious. Laos
remained in close consultation with Burma. Vietnam had been
prepared to sign a statement critical of the regime, but was
wary of appearing to coerce the regime. Cambodia was aligned
more closely with the ASEAN-6, but China had been
discouraging this, PM Lee claimed.


3. (C) PM Lee noted that he had invited UN Special Advisor
Ibrahim Gambari to brief the ASEAN and East Asia Summit
leaders in Singapore in late November to help regional
leaders understand better how the UN is engaging the regime.
Burma's Premier Thein Sein had responded by telling assembled
ASEAN leaders that he would be the only one giving briefings
on Burma. He held firm to the regime's claims that the media
had exaggerated Burma's difficulties and that the regime had
the political situation under control.


4. (C) PM Lee said that the United States should dispel
misperceptions that it was biding its time until Gambari
stepped down so that it could try to replace him with a
U.S.-supported ASEAN emissary to Burma. PM Lee noted that
ASEAN had appointed an emissary two years ago with little
success. Burma wanted to work with the UNSC, not ASEAN, he
stated. U/S Burns replied that the USG fully supported
Gambari, but wanted to see him take a much more active role
inside Burma fostering genuine dialogue between the Burmese
government and ASSK, rather than the current Potemkin-like
channel.

China Trumps Japan, India
--------------


5. (C) PM Lee observed that China had become skillful and
sophisticated in its engagement of ASEAN. For example,
Premier Wen Jiabao came to meetings prepared to discuss
"lofty principles followed by a list of concrete
suggestions." In contrast, Japan had a long list of
suggestions, but lacked strategic focus by its senior
leadership. India was similarly clumsy with its initiatives.
PM Lee urged the United States to focus more on its

SINGAPORE 00002184 002 OF 002


relationship with ASEAN, noting that a good opportunity had
been missed when President Bush was unable to visit the
region ahead of the APEC Leaders, Meeting in Australia in
September. PM Lee said that ASEAN wanted to be friends with
the United States, but there must be willingness on both
sides for this to happen.

India
--------------


6. (C) PM Lee cited increased U.S. engagement with India as
a positive development and encouraged the USG to keep pushing
India in this direction. He questioned whether PM Singh
could persuade the Communist Party to support the U.S.-India
Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement. Although India was
looking outward much more than before, it still needed to
refine its interests in relation to regional bodies like
ASEAN and the East Asian Summit, as well as on multilateral
issues, such as how to best manage maritime and shipping
concerns in the Strait of Malacca.

Iraq and Afghanistan
--------------


7. (C) PM Lee reiterated Singapore's often-stated support
for U.S. efforts in Iraq. He cautioned that a premature
pullout from Iraq would create serious problems for Southeast
Asia and elsewhere. U/S Burns urged Singapore to increase
its contribution in Afghanistan. PM Lee said Singapore hoped
to modestly increase its contribution, but was constrained by
limited resources.


8. (U) U/S Burns cleared this message.

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