SPECIAL ENVOY GAMBARI ON UPCOMING VISIT TO BURMA

C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 000728

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/08/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM UNSC BM
SUBJECT: SPECIAL ENVOY GAMBARI ON UPCOMING VISIT TO BURMA

REF: USUN 712 NOTAL

Classified By: AMBASSADOR ZALMAY KHALILZAD FOR REASONS 1.4 B/D.


1. (C) Ambassador Khalilzad met with United Nations Special
Advisor Ibrahim Gambari one-on-one August 12 to discuss
Gambari's upcoming visit to Burma and Singapore. Gambari
hopes to jump-start the political process in Burma and assist
in the development of the country's election commission. The
Special Advisor is planning on departing Friday, August 15
for a five day visit, but does not yet have a specific
program of meetings from the Burmese government. According
to Gambari, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called the
Chinese Foreign Minister and sent a letter to the Indian
Prime Minister to urge their support of Gambari's mission.


2. (C) During his visit, Gambari will focus on five
objectives: 1) The release of Aung San Suu Kyi; 2) The
release of political prisoners; 3) Creating a political
reconciliation process agreement; 4) Determining the UN's
role vis-a-vis the election commission; and 5) placing a
United Nations liaison officer in Burma. Gambari plans to
push for concrete results, and expects to travel to Burma a
second time this fall. Gambari said that in a positive move,
the Burmese government allowed Aung San Suu Kyi to meet with
her attorney for the first time in four years. However,
Gambari recommends that the SYG not travel to Burma in
December without a major breakthrough.


3. (C) The permanent representatives of Indonesia, India,
Burma and China (the "Group of Four"),as well as Gambari met
informally on August 11 and agreed that there must be
concrete achievements in Burma. They also proposed a
Ministerial regarding Burma on the margins of UNGA which will
focus on the trends in Burma in light of Gambari's visit.

Khalilzad