Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08STATE103358
2008-09-26 19:11:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Secretary of State
Cable title:
GUIDANCE FOR SYG FRIENDS OF BURMA MEETING,
how-toVZCZCXYZ0008 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHC #3358 2701915 ZNR UUUUU ZZH O P 261911Z SEP 08 FM SECSTATE WASHDC TO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 3219 INFO RUEHGO/AMEMBASSY RANGOON PRIORITY 7583
UNCLAS STATE 103358
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM BM
SUBJECT: GUIDANCE FOR SYG FRIENDS OF BURMA MEETING,
SEPTEMBER 27
REFS: A) STATE 97116
B) USUN NEW YORK 829
UNCLAS STATE 103358
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM BM
SUBJECT: GUIDANCE FOR SYG FRIENDS OF BURMA MEETING,
SEPTEMBER 27
REFS: A) STATE 97116
B) USUN NEW YORK 829
1. (U) This is an action request. USUN is instructed to draw
from the following talking points during the September 27 meeting
of the "Group of Friends of the Secretary General on Burma."
2. (U) Begin points, to be supplemented as appropriate from
background in para 3 and refetls.
On behalf of the United States, I would like to thank Secretary
General Ban for holding this meeting today. I am pleased that
many distinguished Foreign Ministers were able to join us this
morning.
The international community must be fully engaged in its efforts
to assist the Burmese people and we welcome the SYG's personal
interest in this critical topic and strongly support his "good
offices" mission.
The Security Council has repeatedly made clear that the common
goal of true friends of Burma is the release of all political
prisoners including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and genuine, time-bound
dialogue leading to democratization. While we are pleased by the
recent release of Win Tin and several other political prisoners,
we must ensure that this not an isolated step, but instead a
first step in a process that results in the release of all two
thousand political prisoners that are unjustly being held.
We are gravely concerned by the continuing pattern of violence
and the arrest and imprisonment of individuals whose only crime
is the free expression of opinion. We all remember the actions
by the regime a year ago when it brutally repressed peaceful
protesters seeking democracy in their country and we are deeply
dismayed to see the regime again round up activists this year, in
fear of more of their citizens peacefully taking to the streets.
There is no legitimate reason for the regime to engage in their
repressive tactics, nor is there legitimate reason for the regime
to ignore the calls of the United Nations and many others
throughout the world. We look to the regime to release
immediately and unconditionally all political prisoners and to
immediately begin a genuine, transparent, and inclusive dialogue
with all democratic and ethnic minority groups with the support
of the United Nations. Engaging in a substantive dialogue with
representatives from a cross section of Burmese society is the
only way Burma will move towards national reconciliation and
become a functional member of the international community.
Burma needs to take concrete steps towards becoming a stable and
free society, and to fulfilling its obligations to the UNSC. It
is our task to continue to push them in that direction. However,
the Burmese regime has shown its back to the United Nations,
rebuffing Mr. Gambari's work on the critical aspects of his
mandate. Those who hold the power and make the decisions in Burma
have refused to meet with him.
The Secretary General, the UNSC, and we as an international
community, must hold the regime to account for its lack of
compliance with the calls of the United Nations Security Council.
In the face of repeated and outright defiance to the good efforts
of the United Nations, we must now begin to consider steps that
will lead to a more stable and free Burma.
We encourage the Secretary General to continue his active
involvement and to consider visiting the region when
circumstances permit.
(End points)
--------------
Background
--------------
3. (SBU) Following a series of informal briefings to the P5 and
with the blessing of the UNSC President, UN Special Advisor
Ibrahim Gambari formally briefed the UNSC September 11 and the
"Group of Friends on Burma" September 12 in regard to his recent
fourth mission to Burma (August 18-23) In these meetings,
Gambari highlighted a "marked improvement" in the regime's
willingness to engage, as well as progress on peripheral issues.
In response to remarks emphasizing the serious lack of progress
on core issues (U.S., UK, France, Belgium, Croatia, Italy, Costa
Rica),SYG Ban stated bluntly that Gambari's trip was not a
failure, before stressing that only "giving up hope" is a
failure. (Ref B)
RICE
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM BM
SUBJECT: GUIDANCE FOR SYG FRIENDS OF BURMA MEETING,
SEPTEMBER 27
REFS: A) STATE 97116
B) USUN NEW YORK 829
1. (U) This is an action request. USUN is instructed to draw
from the following talking points during the September 27 meeting
of the "Group of Friends of the Secretary General on Burma."
2. (U) Begin points, to be supplemented as appropriate from
background in para 3 and refetls.
On behalf of the United States, I would like to thank Secretary
General Ban for holding this meeting today. I am pleased that
many distinguished Foreign Ministers were able to join us this
morning.
The international community must be fully engaged in its efforts
to assist the Burmese people and we welcome the SYG's personal
interest in this critical topic and strongly support his "good
offices" mission.
The Security Council has repeatedly made clear that the common
goal of true friends of Burma is the release of all political
prisoners including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and genuine, time-bound
dialogue leading to democratization. While we are pleased by the
recent release of Win Tin and several other political prisoners,
we must ensure that this not an isolated step, but instead a
first step in a process that results in the release of all two
thousand political prisoners that are unjustly being held.
We are gravely concerned by the continuing pattern of violence
and the arrest and imprisonment of individuals whose only crime
is the free expression of opinion. We all remember the actions
by the regime a year ago when it brutally repressed peaceful
protesters seeking democracy in their country and we are deeply
dismayed to see the regime again round up activists this year, in
fear of more of their citizens peacefully taking to the streets.
There is no legitimate reason for the regime to engage in their
repressive tactics, nor is there legitimate reason for the regime
to ignore the calls of the United Nations and many others
throughout the world. We look to the regime to release
immediately and unconditionally all political prisoners and to
immediately begin a genuine, transparent, and inclusive dialogue
with all democratic and ethnic minority groups with the support
of the United Nations. Engaging in a substantive dialogue with
representatives from a cross section of Burmese society is the
only way Burma will move towards national reconciliation and
become a functional member of the international community.
Burma needs to take concrete steps towards becoming a stable and
free society, and to fulfilling its obligations to the UNSC. It
is our task to continue to push them in that direction. However,
the Burmese regime has shown its back to the United Nations,
rebuffing Mr. Gambari's work on the critical aspects of his
mandate. Those who hold the power and make the decisions in Burma
have refused to meet with him.
The Secretary General, the UNSC, and we as an international
community, must hold the regime to account for its lack of
compliance with the calls of the United Nations Security Council.
In the face of repeated and outright defiance to the good efforts
of the United Nations, we must now begin to consider steps that
will lead to a more stable and free Burma.
We encourage the Secretary General to continue his active
involvement and to consider visiting the region when
circumstances permit.
(End points)
--------------
Background
--------------
3. (SBU) Following a series of informal briefings to the P5 and
with the blessing of the UNSC President, UN Special Advisor
Ibrahim Gambari formally briefed the UNSC September 11 and the
"Group of Friends on Burma" September 12 in regard to his recent
fourth mission to Burma (August 18-23) In these meetings,
Gambari highlighted a "marked improvement" in the regime's
willingness to engage, as well as progress on peripheral issues.
In response to remarks emphasizing the serious lack of progress
on core issues (U.S., UK, France, Belgium, Croatia, Italy, Costa
Rica),SYG Ban stated bluntly that Gambari's trip was not a
failure, before stressing that only "giving up hope" is a
failure. (Ref B)
RICE