AMBASSADOR KHALILZAD MEETS WITH UN SYG ON BURMA

S E C R E T USUN NEW YORK 000447 SIPDIS DEPT FOR IO, USAID FOR DCHA, GENEVA FOR NKYLOH E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/19/2018 TAGS: BM PHUM PREL UNSC UN SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR KHALILZAD MEETS WITH UN SYG ON BURMA REF: STATE 53182 Classified By: Zalmay Khalilzad, Ambassador, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d ) ¶1. (S) On May 19, Ambassador Khalilzad met with U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to discuss the latest developments concerning international assistance to Burma. The Secretary General is scheduled to depart for Burma on May ¶20. He will be accompanied by UN staffers and journalists from several media outlets, including ABC, the Associated Press, and Reuters. In addition to visiting the affected Delta region, the Secretary General will meet with Senior General Than Shwe and plans to request a meeting with Aung San Suu Kyi. French Foreign Mininster Kouchner asked to join the Secretary General on the trip, but the Secretary General declined and suggested that Kouchner personally participate in the joint ASEAN/UN pledging conference, scheduled for May 25 in Rangoon. Kouchner sounded positive about the suggestion but did not commit to attending. ¶2. (S) The Secretary General plans to depart Burma on May 23, so as not to be in country during the referendum on May ¶24. He will fly from Burma to China to view ongoing earthquake relief efforts. The Secretary General has requested Chinese assistance with flights to the affected areas, but he may request US assistance if the Chinese are not able to provide transport. The Secretary General will return to Burma, via Bangkok, for the May 25 pledging conference. There are no plans for a UN assessment in conjunction with the Secretary General's visit to Burma. The Secretary General noted that ASEAN is leading assessment efforts. Khalilzad