ASSK MEETS WITH LAWYER AND DOCTOR AUGUST 17

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 000673 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP/MLS, DRL, AND IO PACOM FOR FPA E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/19/2018 TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM BM SUBJECT: ASSK MEETS WITH LAWYER AND DOCTOR AUGUST 17 REF: RANGOON 648 RANGOON 00000673 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: CDA Tom Vajda for Reasons 1.4 (b) & (d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Aung San Suu Kyi (ASSK) met August 17th with both her lawyer and her doctor. Both report that she is in good health and spirits and both confirm that the regime has granted her request for monthly medical checkups and continued meetings with her lawyer to discuss her pending appeal. ASSK was aware of the recent POTUS/FLOTUS trip to Thailand and was appreciative of continued USG efforts on her behalf. ASSK is scheduled to see her lawyer next on August 20th and her doctor on September 4th. END SUMMARY. SECOND MEETING WITH LAWYER IN TWO WEEKS -------------- ¶2. (C) ASSK met with both her lawyer U Kyi Win (aka Neville) and her doctor Tin Myo Win (aka Douglas) on Sunday, August 17. Neville told P/E Chief August 18 that he and ASSK had both been surprised the meetings were granted. He had learned of the meeting early Sunday morning when he was summoned by the Special Branch of the police (SB). Although he was prebriefed and debriefed by SB, Neville met with ASSK alone from 10:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m. According to Neville, SB had initially said he would have three hours for the meeting but ASSK had objected and said there would be no time limitation. ¶3. (C) Neville told P/E Chief ASSK was well and had a "fighting spirit." They discussed her appeal, and Neville said she seemed to be taking her time with the appeal process in order to ensure they would have future meetings. Neville confirmed ASSK would be granted routine medical visits by her doctor on the first Thursday of every month. The doctor had visited her August 17th, immediately upon Neville's departure, and would return September 4 for the next checkup. Regarding the restrictions placed on the two personal assistants who lived on ASSK's compound, Neville reported that Special Branch had proposed a type of "bond" be issued in order to allow them to come and go freely. He said ASSK objected to this arrangement because there was no legal basis for it. According to Neville, ASSK said she was prepared to send both assistants away from the compound and live alone unless a solution was reached. ¶4. (C) Neville said, unlike his last visit (reftel),he had discussed political issues with ASSK on this occasion. In particular, he had raised his concerns that the National League for Democracy's (NLD) Central Executive Committee (CEC) (aka "the Uncles") had not provided enough guidance to their constituents during the lead-up to the May referendum. Furthermore, he felt that the "second line" of leadership in the NLD was seriously "lacking." According to Neville, ASSK agreed with him on both points. ¶5. (C) Neville reiterated that he believed he was allowed to see his client because of her threat to refuse food deliveries. He said he was scheduled to meet her again Wednesday, August 20. DOCTOR REPORTS ASSK IN GOOD HEALTH, GRATEFUL FOR U.S. EFFORTS -------------- -------------- ¶6. (C) Douglas told P/E Chief August 18th that he had seen ASSK the previous afternoon for a routine medical exam and that she was "well." He said he would be allowed to see her regularly, beginning in early September. He surmised he had been allowed to see his patient due to the visit of UN Special Envoy Gambari, which had been the case in the past. He said ASSK expressed gratitude to the USG for efforts on her behalf. She was aware of the POTUS/FLOTUS trip and had appreciated FLOTUS comments both at the UN and on the border. COMMENT -------------- RANGOON 00000673 002.2 OF 002 ¶7. (C) After five years with no contact, ASSK's lawyer has now seen her twice this month, while the doctor was allowed to visit ASSK for the first time since May. Whether due to ASSK's threat to refuse food deliveries or to the Gambari visit, the regime appears to be easing restrictions on access to ASSK. UN staff are hoping Gambari will see her as well. Both Neville and Douglas seemed fairly confident that their fixed appointments for follow-up visits would be granted. VAJDA