Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08VIENTIANE272
2008-05-09 10:25:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Vientiane
Cable title:  

DEMARCHE TO LAOS: HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE TO CYCLONE

Tags:  EAID PREL BM LA 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO9457
RR RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHVN #0272 1301025
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 091025Z MAY 08
FM AMEMBASSY VIENTIANE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2008
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 2300
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 0160
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 1247
C O N F I D E N T I A L VIENTIANE 000272 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/08/2018
TAGS: EAID PREL BM LA
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE TO LAOS: HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE TO CYCLONE
NARGIS

REF: STATE 48651

Classified By: Mary Grace McGeehan, Deputy Chief of Mission. Reason: 1
.4 b and d.

C O N F I D E N T I A L VIENTIANE 000272

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/08/2018
TAGS: EAID PREL BM LA
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE TO LAOS: HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE TO CYCLONE
NARGIS

REF: STATE 48651

Classified By: Mary Grace McGeehan, Deputy Chief of Mission. Reason: 1
.4 b and d.


1. (C) Summary: According to an MFA official who traveled
to Rangoon on May 7 with the Lao Vice Foreign Minister,
Burmese officials expressed appreciation for Lao material
assistance ($20,000 and three tons of food) and said that
they would welcome more, but declined the GOL's offer to send
an assistance team. The official said that the Burmese had
declined a similar offer from the Chinese. The Burmese, he
said, claim to have enough personnel to assist their
population. The DCM urged the GOL, as a friend of Burma, to
encourage the authorities there to allow relief workers into
their country. The official said that the GOL and the
Burmese government have not discussed the situation since the
delegation visit and that Laos cannot interfere in Burma's
internal affairs. However, he said that he hopes the Burmese
will accept assistance, especially from the UN, if they find
that they cannot assist the population adequately themselves.
End summary.


2. (U) The DCM delivered Reftel demarche to Ministry of
Foreign Affairs Deputy Director General for Asia Pacific and
Africa Voroth Soundara May 9. Mr. Voroth had accompanied
Vice Foreign Minister Bounkeut Sangsomsack to Rangoon on May
7 to deliver humanitarian assistance. He said that the Lao
had provided $20,000 in financial assistance and three tons
of food aid (not 2.5 tons as reported in the Lao press),
including noodles, rice, canned fish, and drinking water.
They were received by the Burmese Deputy Minister of Social
Welfare. Relief planes from many other countries, including
Thailand, Japan, China, India, and Bangladesh, were at the
Rangoon airport as well. Mr. Voroth said that the GOL will
organize fundraising efforts to provide additional assistance.


3. (C) According to Mr. Voroth, VFM Bounkeut offered to
send a Lao team, including nurses, doctors, and engineers, to
provide assistance in affected areas. The Burmese officials
expressed appreciation but said that their government had
enough staff to assist victims. However, they said that they
would welcome further material assistance. Mr. Voroth said
that China had also been interested in sending assistance
teams but the Burmese government did not accept their offer
either.


4. (SBU) Mr. Voroth said that he hoped that the Burmese
government would request assistance from outsiders,
particularly the UN, if they are unable to provide sufficient
assistance themselves. The DCM said that it would be helpful
for Laos, as a friendly country, to make this point to the
Burmese. She asked whether the two governments have had
further discussions on the situation since VFM Bounkeut's
visit. Mr. Voroth said that they have not and commented that
Laos cannot interfere in Burma's internal affairs.


5. (SBU) Mr. Voroth said that the Lao delegation had taken
a 30-minute trip around Rangoon to assess the storm damage.
During the trip through the devastated city, the Burmese
officials who accompanied them expressed particular concern
about the loss of large trees along Rangoon's boulevards,
noting that it would be hot without them.
HUSO