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