COSTA RICA SUPPORTS UNSC ACTION ON BURMA BUT WARY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SAN JOSE 000387 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CEN, IO/UNP PWICKBERG, EAP/MLS ACOPE, AND USUN JRENEAU. E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/13/2018 TAGS: PREL PHUM UNSC BM CS SUBJECT: COSTA RICA SUPPORTS UNSC ACTION ON BURMA BUT WARY OF FRENCH MEDIA RHETORIC REF: SECSTATE 49813 Classified By: David E. Henifin, Acting DCM, Reason 1.4 (d). ¶1. (U) We delivered reftel demarche on May 12 to Adriana Murillo, Juan Salas and Deyanira Ramirez of the MFA's UN Security Council Team. The team was very happy to receive the text of the French resolution; they stated that Costa Rica had been asked to support it in New York but had not seen the draft text. ¶2. (C) Murillo stated that as a human rights matter, raising the issue of humanitarian aid for Myanmar is definitely within the scope of the Security Council, even though some UNSC members claim it is not. The GOCR feels that protection of Burmese citizens is a priority and does not want to see them left defenseless. The GOCR would be supportive of UNSC action, but added the caveat that the French have been using stronger language in the media than contained in the resolution (they did not cite a media source). Therefore, the MFA officials asked how far the U.S. and France are planning to go to resolve the situation. The team agreed that the optimal solution would be that the regime allows in aid workers and supplies. ¶3. (C) Ramirez added that the resolution might have more legs in the UNSC if it were framed around the possibility that the situation on the ground (with thousands of people suffering and lacking basic needs) could destabilize the regime and the region. ¶4. (C) COMMENT: For the second time when receiving a Burma-related demarche, Costa Rica asked about China,s position on the matter. This seems to reflect new Costa Rican sensitivity to China since establishing relations last year. Chinese Vice Premier Hui Liangyu visited here last week and signed a $50 million package of donations to Costa Rica. We will report separately on that. BRENNAN