LAO FOREIGN MINISTER DISCUSSES BURMA

C O N F I D E N T I A L VIENTIANE 000816 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/MLS (BESTIC) E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/04/2017 TAGS: BM LA PGOV PREL SUBJECT: LAO FOREIGN MINISTER DISCUSSES BURMA Classified By: Ambassador Ravic R. Huso for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Lao Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Thongloun told the Ambassador on November 2 that had pushed Burmese Foreign Minister Win on the need for rapid movement forward on the "roadmap" process. According to Thongloun, Win said completion of the constitutional referendum, the fourth step of the roadmap process, was possible by 2008 -- if further protests did not disrupt the process. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) During a call on Lao Vice Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Thongloun Sisoulith, the Ambassador asked about the October 29-November 2 official visit of Burmese Foreign Minister U Nyan Win to Vientiane and Luang Prabang to participate in the eighth meetings of the bilateral commissions. Thongloun is President of the Lao-Myanmar Commission while the Burmese FM is President of the counterpart Myanmar-Lao Commission. Win's courtesy call on Lao President Choummaly Sayasone, unusual for a visiting foreign minister, was the lead story in a range of Lao newspapers. ¶3. (C) According to Thongloun, Win told him the situation in Burma had "returned to normal" although the government is still "investigating" the people involved in the recent protests. So far, Win said that 2670 people had been investigated and released, although more than 100 were still being investigated as among those who had "created the situation." Thongloun told the Ambassador he had told Win, since Laos was a fellow member of ASEAN and shared a common border with Burma, that the Burmese government should follow the steps in the "roadmap" as quickly as possible. Win claimed the Burmese government was now at stage three of the roadmap -- drafting a constitution. The government was almost ready for stage four, holding a referendum on the constitution. Win said the group drafting the constitution was close to distributing copies to the people to review. Once a referendum is held, Win opined, Burma would return to a "free situation." ¶4. (C) Thongloun told the Ambassador he pressed for a date when this would happen, but Win responded the Burmese government is doing the best it can -- although it remains concerned that protests would disrupt the roadmap process. Thongloun added that he later pressed Win again, while they were playing golf, to complete the roadmap in 2008. Win reportedly responded that, if the situation is stable, "it can be 2008." ¶5. (C) The Ambassador emphasized for Thongloun that, for the process of change in Burma to result in lasting stability, we believe the government has to have open consultations directly with the opposition, including Aung San Suu Kyi, and with the ethnic groups. Without a broader and credible dialogue, it is hard to see the Burmese people accepting the roadmap process. Tongloun replied that he had told Win that each step of the roadmap process had to be taken to the people for approval. Win also told him that the Burmese government had designated a minister who has meet Aung San Suu Kyi and had agreed to another visit by UN Special Envoy Gambari. Proposals made by Gambari have resulted in progress, in Thongloun's opinion, including the contact with Aung San Suu Kyi. ¶6. (C) The Ambassador asked how the UN and ASEAN could work together to achieve a resolution of the situation in Burma. Thongloun responded that ASEAN for now wants to let the UN take the lead in working with Burma. In Thongloun's opinion, direct action by ASEAN was not useful at this point. Thongloun said he was sure the Burma situation would be a focus of the ASEAN Summit at the end of the month. ¶7. (SBU) The Ambassador and DPM/FM Thongloun also discussed, in very positive terms, a wide range of bilateral U.S.-Lao issues including POW/MIA accounting cooperation, counter-narcotics programs, U.S. assistance for removal of unexploded ordnance, and the new area of military-military cooperation. Among these, Thongloun highlighted the Lao intention to exchange defense attaches in 2008. The Ambassador and Thongloun also agreed on the importance of the Bilateral Comprehensive Dialogue and on setting a date in early 2008 for another round. HUSO