UN ON BURMA GROUP OF FRIENDS (CORE GROUP)

C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 001084 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/28/2017 TAGS: PREL UNSC BM SUBJECT: UN ON BURMA GROUP OF FRIENDS (CORE GROUP) Classified By: Ambassador Alejandro D. Wolff, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Summary: USUN consulted November 27 with Gambari's special assistant Erwan Pouchous on the prospective formation of a Core Group on Burma. Pouchous said Gambari now believes the group should function as a "Group of Friends" and its goal should be to build international consensus on next steps in Burma. Although the Burmese have expressed opposition to such a group, Pouchous understands the Chinese are open to participation. Secretary-General Ban hopes to convene the first meeting in December prior to Gambari's return to Burma. Gambari is scheduled to raise the issue of his visa with Burmese Prime Minister Thein Sein in Phnom Penh on November ¶29. End Summary. ¶2. (C) Erwan Pouchous, Political Affairs Officer in the Asia and the Pacific Division of the UN's Department of Political Affairs, told USUN November 28 that the UN believes Gambari and his good offices mission retain broad support, but there are still significant differences within the international community on how to approach Burma. Because there has been little movement on fundamental issues among members of the Security Council, Pouchous reported that the Secretary-General concluded that Gambari's earlier proposal SIPDIS to form a Core Group on Burma should be recast as a Group of Friends on Burma whose purpose would be to provide an informal setting to "work out those differences," as well as build consensus around the steps that "make the most sense." Pouchous highlighted the pace of change in Burma as an issue that would be important to consider among the Group of Friends, commenting that we can't "go ahead of what the market can bear." ¶3. (C) Pouchous commented that the group should be small, but balanced. He said the original composition proposed for the Group of Friends comprised India, Japan, the ASEAN Chair (Singapore) and the P-5. Recently, however, Gambari had received requests from the EU Chair, Norway, and Australia as donor states to join the group. Pouchous commented that Gambari is also considering broadening ASEAN representation to include Thailand, Indonesia, and possibly Vietnam. Composition of the Group of Friends is important, he noted, since the group should not be misconstrued as a "pressure group" or a replacement for the Security Council. As membership to the Group of Friends was not final, Pouchous said the UN is open to suggestions on the group's membership. The Secretary-General hoped to convene the first Group of Friends meeting before Gambari's next visit to Burma, Pouchous noted. The SYG will be traveling extensively in December, however, making scheduling difficult. ¶4. (C) Pouchous acknowledged that the UN recently received a letter from the Burmese expressing a lack of support for the proposed Group of Friends. (Note: The mission of Singapore informed USUN that it had also received such a letter in Singapore's capacity as ASEAN Chair. End Note.) Pouchous, however, was undaunted by the letter, adding that most countries that are the subject of a Group of Friends object to the group. When asked about Chinese support for the group, he responded that at the working level, the Chinese had asked about the composition of the group and the scheduling of the first meeting. ¶5. (C) Addressing a question on the multiple UN actors in Burma, Pouchous commented that while it could be improved, there was broad coordination within the UN on Burma. All efforts fall under "Gambari's umbrella," he said, and each office recognized the political track as the priority. Pouchous said that the UN was acutely aware of the problem that could be created with uncoordinated visits and different messages to the regime. While there may be different assessments of the situation, he noted that "when the wind blows all ships sail in the same direction." ¶6. (C) On timing, Gambari would likely return to Burma in mid-December, Pouchous said. He did not yet have a visa, but Pouchous was confident that obtaining a visa would not be an issue. Gambari was tentatively scheduled to meet with Burmese Prime Minister Thein Sein in Phnom Penh on November ¶29. If the meeting happened, Pouchous indicated that the topic would be Gambari's visa as well as his plans for an upcoming visit to Burma. Khalilzad