BURMA: UPDATE FROM ASSK'S DOCTOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 000945 SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP AND IO; PACOM FOR FPA E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/16/2018 TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM BM SUBJECT: BURMA: UPDATE FROM ASSK'S DOCTOR REF: A. RANGOON 704 ¶B. RANGOON 725 Classified By: Pol Officer Sean O'Neill for Reasons 1.4 (b) & (d) Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) Aung San Suu Kyi's (ASSK) personal physician told us his patient is in excellent health and has regained all of the weight she previously lost. Dr. Tin Myo Win (aka Douglas) saw ASSK on December 4 and is scheduled to see her again on January 1. Douglas informed us that the British Embassy, with the consent of the Foreign Ministry, gave him letters and a parcel from ASSK's son Kim (who lives in the UK) to pass to the detained NLD leader on his next visit. Douglas told us ASSK remains committed to a genuine time-bound dialogue and is skeptical of the regime's planned elections for 2010. ASSK in Excellent Health -------------- ¶2. (C) In a December 16 meeting with Poloff, Dr. Douglas said that Aung San Suu Kyi is in excellent health. Douglas met with ASSK December 4, when he and an ophthalmologist conducted a physical exam on the 63-year-old NLD leader. According to Douglas, ASSK has no serious or chronic medical problems and is in exceptional health for her age. He reported that her weight, blood pressure and other vital signs are normal, and she remains mentally sharp and in good spirits. ¶3. (C) Douglas said ASSK is acutely aware that people are very interested in her physical condition and works very hard to maintain her health. Douglas acknowledged that ASSK lost about 10 pounds this autumn when she was refusing to accept new food deliveries, but said as of December 4, she had returned to her normal, healthy weight of 104 pounds. He stressed that at no time in the past year did she go on a hunger strike. Instead ASSK had refused to accept food deliveries for a few weeks in August and September to protest specific conditions of her house arrest (Ref A and B). As a result, she temporarily reduced her caloric intake to make her food supplies last, but never stopped eating. ASSK to Receive Mail from Son -------------- ¶4. (C) Douglas told POLOFF that the British Embassy had given him several letters and a parcel from ASSK's son Kim (who lives in the UK) to pass to the detained NLD leader on his next visit, scheduled for January 1. According to Douglas, MFA informed him ahead of time that the UK Embassy would pass these items for him to deliver to ASSK. While Douglas said he was confused as to why the MFA did not deliver the items directly, or pass them to ASSK via the Home Ministry, he gladly agreed to deliver them to his patient. ¶5. (C) When asked, Douglas claimed that ASSK's other son Alexander (who lives in the U.S.) knows that Kim was permitted to send letters to his mother, but acknowledged he has not spoken with Alexander directly. POLOFF asked Douglas, if possible, to personally relay this information to Alexander. Post is seeking to communicate, directly or indirectly, with Alexander to confirm he is aware of the opportunity to send mail to his mother and to offer our assistance; we are also consulting with the UK Embassy and MFA on the mechanics for such deliveries. Douglas on Politics -------------- ¶6. (C) Douglas claimed to have spent a considerable amount RANGOON 00000945 002 OF 002 of time speaking with ASSK about politics, but was reluctant to offer specifics of their conversations. However, he did tell POLOFF that ASSK believes it will be difficult to accept the legitimacy of any election in the absence of a genuine, time-bound dialogue involving the opposition, ethnic groups, and the regime. ASSK also remains concerned with the plight of Burma's political prisoners and wants to see all ethnic and opposition groups work more cooperatively, according to Douglas. The Doctor's Access -------------- ¶7. (C) Douglas told POLOFF that since October, the regime has honored its agreement to grant him access to ASSK on the first Thursday of each month. According to Douglas, his visits with ASSK typically last several hours; the last one was for over four hours. Douglas informed us that a senior police Special Branch (SB) official, usually Colonel Win Naing Tun, is present at each visit, but he stressed that there are no SB officials in the house while he meets with ASSK. ¶8. (C) Douglas said that before each meeting, he must provide SB with a list of all items he will bring with him, including medical gear and medicines. Upon arrival, his bags are searched, but not his person. He said that he is able to bring in food, but that unapproved, non-medical papers are not permitted. Douglas confirmed that officials have honored their agreement to allow ASSK to receive copies of Time, Newsweek, and the magazine Label France, which is published by the French MFA (Ref B). She reads each, and is pleased to keep abreast of current events and maintain her French proficiency, Douglas said. ¶9. (C) Douglas apologized for his recent reluctance to meet with us or any foreign diplomats. He claimed that ASSK asked him to refrain from meeting with diplomats while he undertook a "sensitive mission" for her. When pressed, Douglas said he could not reveal the tasking, but told POLOFF we may see the results of his efforts shortly. We will keep an eye out for any such developments. VAJDA