ROK TO ISSUE STATEMENT ON BURMESE REFERENDUM AFTER

C O N F I D E N T I A L SEOUL 000928 SIPDIS EAP/MLS FOR AARON COPE; D FOR KAYE LEE E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/02/2018 TAGS: KS PGOV PHUM BM SUBJECT: ROK TO ISSUE STATEMENT ON BURMESE REFERENDUM AFTER DEPSEC NEGROPONTE MEETING REF: A. STATE 45471 ¶B. SEOUL 917 Classified By: POL M/C Joseph Yun. Reasons 1.4(b/d) ¶1. (C) In a May 6 meeting with poloff, Han Woo-young, MOFAT Deputy Director for Southeast Asian Affairs, said that the ROKG will release a public statement concerning Burma after Deputy Secretary Negroponte meets with Vice Foreign Minister Kwon Jong-rak on May 8 in Seoul. The statement will include the following two points: (1) The U.S. and the ROK reaffirm the international community's assessment that the May 10 constitutional referendum, as it is currently designed, fails to meet the principle of free and fair elections; and (2) both the U.S. and the ROK call upon the Burmese regime to adopt actions that would lead to substantive democratization, which can only be achieved through sincere dialogue among the various political parties. ¶2. (C) Han also noted that MOFAT's Director General for Southeast Asian affairs urged his Burmese Foreign Ministry counterpart that the regime needed to pursue genuine efforts toward democratization. ¶3. (C) Han mentioned that the ROK would provide 100,000 USD for disaster aid to Burma following the recent cyclone. Other aid options were also being explored. The immediate aid would likely take the form of a cash gift to the Burmese government. VERSHBOW