HMG AGREES WITH BURMA DEMARCHE ON REFERENDUM --

C O N F I D E N T I A L LONDON 000823

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/19/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV BM EU UN UK
SUBJECT: HMG AGREES WITH BURMA DEMARCHE ON REFERENDUM --
BUT CAUTIONS ON SPEED OF ANY NEW EU SANCTIONS

REF: STATE 26677

Classified By: Political Counselor Richard Mills for reasons 1.4 (b,d)


1. (C) POLOFF delivered reftel to Nick Alexander, head of
Burma policy in the Foreign Office on March 19. Alexander
said the UK is in complete agreement with points contained in
reftel, underscoring HMG agreement that the Burmese "roadmap"
as currently constituted is faulty. He shared UK talking
points for use with Burmese officials and in the Security
Council (see below at para 3). Alexander said UKUN would
support the PRST tabled March 18 by USUN. Alexander added
that the UK is in complete agreement with the U.S. position
that any referendum must be fair and free, as well as with
USG calls for inclusiveness in the Burmese political process.


2. (C) Turning to an upcoming visit by a State/IO and
Treasury delegation to discuss sanctions, Alexander cautioned
that the EU would not be implementing new sanctions in the
near term. He said HMG's focus is to press EU Member States
to implement sanctions agreed in the fall. HMG intends to
use late April EU meetings, however, to gain EU agreement on
new targets for sanctions. Alexander noted that the UK does
not have extraterritorial powers when it comes to applying
sanctions.


3. (C) Begin text of UK talking points on Burma Policy for
use with Burmese officials and in the UNSC.

-- The "Roadmap" as currently formulated will not bring
peace, stability and national reconciliation to Burma. By
excluding the opposition and the ethnic groups, the
Referendum and the draft Constitution will entrench division,
rather than unite the country. They will neither calm the
deep discontent which is fueling instability; nor will they
meet the concerns of the international community.

-- If the process is to have any hope of addressing the
country's needs or meeting the demands of Security Council, a
number of key changes need to take place. These include:

-- All key political actors must be part of the
political process. ASSK and other political prisoners need
to be released and be able to participate fully in the
national debate, the referendum campaign and the elections;

-- Removal of articles in the Constitution excluding
ASSK from high political office.
-- Removal of military powers to suspend the
Constitution.

-- The Constitution should guarantee fundamental rights
and envisage some autonomy for the ethnic groups within a
unitary state.

-- There needs to be a free and open debate on the
Constitution prior to the referendum: laws prohibiting
criticism of the National Convention and the referendum
rescinded.

-- Greater clarity on the political process: what
happens if there is a "no" vote; how will political parties
contest the 2010 elections?

End text of UK talking points.







Visit London's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/london/index. cfm
TUTTLE