UPDATE ON GAMBARI'S VISIT TO BURMA

C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 000974 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/07/2017 TAGS: PREL PHUM UNSC BM SUBJECT: UPDATE ON GAMBARI'S VISIT TO BURMA REF: RANGOON 1092 Classified By: Ambassador Alejandro D. Wolff, Deputy Permanent Represen tative, for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) UN U/SYG Lynn Pascoe told Ambassador Wolff in a November 7 telephone conversation that Special Adviser Ibrahim Gambari was departing Nay Pyi Taw November 8 for Rangoon, where he planned to meet with Aung San Suu Kyi (ASSK),the NLD Executive Committee and the UN Country Team. Gambari will discuss with ASSK what message he can deliver to the international media on her behalf and will either ask her to draft it or clear it with her. According to Pascoe, Gambari has obtained agreement from Burmese officials to return to the country multiple times. He expects to return in two to three weeks and is pushing to identify a date. ¶2. (C) Pascoe said that ASSK canceled her meeting with the NLD Executive Committee for health reasons (reported reftel), but it has now been re-scheduled. She wishes to meet with the NLD before beginning the dialogue with the regime. ¶3. (C) According to Pascoe, Gambari's role in the dialogue is still unclear. The regime has not rejected his involvement, and Gambari wants to discuss it with ASSK to determine her preference. Pascoe said that Gambari believes the regime is taking a harder line, and he will not meet with Than Shwe on this trip. Pascoe is encouraging Gambari to say little publicly on the visit for now. Gambari plans to be back at UN headquarters on Monday, November 12 and will brief Pascoe and Secretary General Ban's Chief of Staff Vijay Nambiar, in Ban's absence. The SYG is traveling in Latin America. ¶4. (C) Pascoe also reported that UNDP Resident Coordinator Charles Petrie is due to depart Burma December 5, about a month or so before his originally scheduled departure date. Khalilzad