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