Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08RANGOON5
2008-01-07 10:26:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Rangoon
Cable title:
BURMESE REGIME "TOO BUSY" FOR GAMBARI
how-toVZCZCXRO0650 PP RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH RUEHTRO DE RUEHGO #0005 0071026 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 071026Z JAN 08 FM AMEMBASSY RANGOON TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6982 INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0794 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 4340 RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 7885 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 5446 RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1234 RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L RANGOON 000005
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR P, EAP/MLS, AND IO
PACOM FOR FPA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/28/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL BM UN
SUBJECT: BURMESE REGIME "TOO BUSY" FOR GAMBARI
REF: A. USUN 8
B. 07 BEIJING 7657
Classified By: CDA Shari Villarosa for Reasons 1.4 (b) & (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L RANGOON 000005
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR P, EAP/MLS, AND IO
PACOM FOR FPA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/28/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL BM UN
SUBJECT: BURMESE REGIME "TOO BUSY" FOR GAMBARI
REF: A. USUN 8
B. 07 BEIJING 7657
Classified By: CDA Shari Villarosa for Reasons 1.4 (b) & (d)
1. (C) Diplomats attending the annual Independence Day
dinner in Nay Pyi Taw on January 4 heard from several
different government officials that the Than Shwe regime was
"too busy" to receive UN Special Advisor Gambari before the
mid-April annual water festival. The Chinese Ambassador
confirmed to Charge that he had the same information. He
agreed with Charge's characterization that the dialogue
appeared dead. He acknowledged that the regime had done
nothing to improve the economic situation, as China had
advised. Noting we had been urged by the Chinese Foreign
Ministry to discourage turmoil (ref B),the regime had
increased the chances of turmoil by significantly hiking
satellite registration fees from 6,000 ($5) to 1 million kyat
($800). He expressed surprise at learning this, although his
interpreter was already aware. Charge warned him that the
regime had now angered all of Burma's many football fans by
depriving them of one of their few escapes.
2. (C) Comment: Than Shwe never had any intention of
opening up the political process to his long-time political
opponents. Instead he announced the appointment of a liaison
officer and hinted at more dialogue to deflect international
criticism that grew in the aftermath of his regime's violent
crackdown on peaceful demonstrators led by monks. It is no
coincidence that the last time the liaison officer met with
Aung San Suu Kyi (November 19, 2007) was during the ASEAN
meetings in Singapore. Those meetings have adjourned for
another year, so the regime no longer has to worry about any
immediate criticism for its backsliding from its neighbors.
In the meantime, the authorities have continued to arrest
political activists a few at a time steadily into the new
year. They appear determined to ram through their sham
constitution without any contrary voices weighing in, either
from the Burmese people or through Gambari. So now is the
time that we should mobilize other nations to go public in
criticizing Than Shwe for his continued defiance of the
Burmese people's desires for openness, reform, freedom, and
democracy. The ASEANs said that there could be no return to
the status quo ante, but that is precisely what Than Shwe has
done, making it even worse. Then we should broadcast these
statements into Burma to give hope to the people that the
world has not forgot them, and remind Than Shwe that his
efforts to cut off information to the people will fail.
VILLAROSA
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR P, EAP/MLS, AND IO
PACOM FOR FPA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/28/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL BM UN
SUBJECT: BURMESE REGIME "TOO BUSY" FOR GAMBARI
REF: A. USUN 8
B. 07 BEIJING 7657
Classified By: CDA Shari Villarosa for Reasons 1.4 (b) & (d)
1. (C) Diplomats attending the annual Independence Day
dinner in Nay Pyi Taw on January 4 heard from several
different government officials that the Than Shwe regime was
"too busy" to receive UN Special Advisor Gambari before the
mid-April annual water festival. The Chinese Ambassador
confirmed to Charge that he had the same information. He
agreed with Charge's characterization that the dialogue
appeared dead. He acknowledged that the regime had done
nothing to improve the economic situation, as China had
advised. Noting we had been urged by the Chinese Foreign
Ministry to discourage turmoil (ref B),the regime had
increased the chances of turmoil by significantly hiking
satellite registration fees from 6,000 ($5) to 1 million kyat
($800). He expressed surprise at learning this, although his
interpreter was already aware. Charge warned him that the
regime had now angered all of Burma's many football fans by
depriving them of one of their few escapes.
2. (C) Comment: Than Shwe never had any intention of
opening up the political process to his long-time political
opponents. Instead he announced the appointment of a liaison
officer and hinted at more dialogue to deflect international
criticism that grew in the aftermath of his regime's violent
crackdown on peaceful demonstrators led by monks. It is no
coincidence that the last time the liaison officer met with
Aung San Suu Kyi (November 19, 2007) was during the ASEAN
meetings in Singapore. Those meetings have adjourned for
another year, so the regime no longer has to worry about any
immediate criticism for its backsliding from its neighbors.
In the meantime, the authorities have continued to arrest
political activists a few at a time steadily into the new
year. They appear determined to ram through their sham
constitution without any contrary voices weighing in, either
from the Burmese people or through Gambari. So now is the
time that we should mobilize other nations to go public in
criticizing Than Shwe for his continued defiance of the
Burmese people's desires for openness, reform, freedom, and
democracy. The ASEANs said that there could be no return to
the status quo ante, but that is precisely what Than Shwe has
done, making it even worse. Then we should broadcast these
statements into Burma to give hope to the people that the
world has not forgot them, and remind Than Shwe that his
efforts to cut off information to the people will fail.
VILLAROSA