GAMBARI BRIEFS USUN ON RECENT TRAVEL TO BURMA

C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 000250

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E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/17/2018
TAGS: PREL PHUM UNSC BM
SUBJECT: GAMBARI BRIEFS USUN ON RECENT TRAVEL TO BURMA

Classified By: Ambassador Wolff, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) In a meeting on March 17 to discuss his recent trip to
Burma, UN Special Adviser Gambari told Ambassador Wolff that
he met with eight ministers, including the Minister of
Information, the Minister of Planning and the Foreign
Minister. He also met with the Referendum Convening
Committee and representatives of a range of political
parties, including Aung Sun Suu Kyi (ASSK) and others from
the National League for Democracy (NLD). According to
Gambari, ASSK was in good spirits. Although she harbors no
illusion about the referendum and its lack of inclusiveness,
she does not want to boycott the referendum, he reported.
Rather, she would like the playing field to be "less
un-level" and asked that the international community take a
"principled position" to urge the regime to make the
referendum "free and fair." She also commented that she
believes she could still have a role after the referendum
takes place. Gambari also reported that ASSK believes that
something will "break" between the holding of the referendum
and the holding of elections, an assessment she attributed to
a lack of confidence in each other among the leaders of the
regime. Gambari added that ASSK is opposed to
Secretary-General Ban visiting Burma at this stage. When

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pressed by Amb Wolff, Gambari expressed reluctance to offer
his support for a Presidential Statement (PRST) by the
Security Council. He requested a "time out" from Security
Council action. He cautioned that any action by the Council
could shut down dialogue with the regime and possibly ASSK.


2. (C) In assessing his visit, Gambari said that it was clear
that the Burmese do not feel obligated to cooperate with the
international community or the good offices mission. The
regime leadership is in denial, he said, and doesn't think
they have a problem, other than NLD trouble-makers. They
don't care what the outside world thinks, he added. He
shared his view that the regime is unlikely to take steps to
make the roadmap process more inclusive and intends to move
ahead with the referendum "no matter what." Gambari added
that while the regime did not completely disregard his
proposal to establish a national economic forum (formerly
described as a poverty alleviation commission),that the
generals attribute their economic difficulties to sanctions
and wants them lifted first. In evaluating support from
Burma's neighbors for the good offices mission, Gambari
pointed out that India has not been particularly helpful and
China is not in a position to further pressure the regime.
Gambari said "sanctions haven't worked; engagement hasn't
worked; it is time for out of the box thinking." He also
repeated his earlier request to Ambassador Hume for a "time
out" for additional bilateral sanctions.


3. (C) On next steps, Gambari said that ASSK told him to
remain engaged with the Burmese. She suggested that he meet
with representatives from the regime in a third country in
advance of the referendum, where they might be more inclined
to cooperate with the good offices mission. Gambari
suggested to Amb Wolff that the international community
should continue to emphasize its calls for inclusive dialogue
and ASSK's release. He stressed the importance of finding
ways to increase humanitarian assistance to the Burmese
people. Ambassador Wolff reminded Gambari that the regime
delayed his return to Burma, strictly controlled his
schedule, limited the length of this stay, and resisted his
efforts to implement the commitments he made to the Group of
Friends and the Security Council. Wolff added that the
United States will push for a PRST in the Council and
remarked that Gambari's credibility was at stake in how he
presented matters to the Council.
KHALILZAD