GOG RELEASES STATEMENT CONDEMNING AUNG SAN SUU KYI

C O N F I D E N T I A L ATHENS 001425 SENSITIVE SIPDIS PASS TO STATE FOR EAP/MLS LAURA SCHEIBE AMEMBASSY ANKARA PASS TO AMCONSUL ADANA AMEMBASSY ASTANA PASS TO USOFFICE ALMATY AMEMBASSY BERLIN PASS TO AMCONSUL DUSSELDORF AMEMBASSY BERLIN PASS TO AMCONSUL LEIPZIG AMEMBASSY BELGRADE PASS TO AMEMBASSY PODGORICA AMEMBASSY HELSINKI PASS TO AMCONSUL ST PETERSBURG AMEMBASSY ATHENS PASS TO AMCONSUL THESSALONIKI AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PASS TO AMCONSUL VLADIVOSTOK AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PASS TO AMCONSUL YEKATERINBURG E.O. 12958: DECL: 2019/08/12 TAGS: PREL PGOV BM GR SUBJECT: GOG RELEASES STATEMENT CONDEMNING AUNG SAN SUU KYI CONVICTION, ANTICIPATES SWIFT ENACTMENT OF EU SANCTIONS REF: 09 STATE 83598 CLASSIFIED BY: Alan Purcell, Acting Political Counselor; REASON: 1.4(B) ¶1. (C) PolOff delivered reftel points August 12 on the conviction of Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi to Ambassador Dimitrios Anninos, the acting Director of the Asia bureau at the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Ambassador Dimitrios commended the statements made by President Obama and Secretary Clinton and estimated that India and China would soon speak out in condemnation of the Suu Kyi conviction as well. Anninos expressed strong support for the EU joint statement of August 11th condemning Suu Kyi's conviction and calling for additional, targeted EU sanctions against the Burmese junta. Later on August 12, Greek Foreign Minister Bakoyannis released a statement condemning Suu Kyi's conviction and house arrest, in the spirit of international solidarity(full text in paragraph 3). ¶2. (C) Anninos expressed confidence that EU targeted sanctions against the ruling Burmese junta and judiciary would be enacted swiftly and without objection from EU member states. Anninos shared the details of these sanctions, which were discussed and agreed upon in advance during a July 30 COREU meeting in Brussels. They are set to include 1) the addition of members of the ruling judiciary to the EU visa ban and asset freeze list 2) the freeze of Burmese state-owned entities currently subject to an investment ban and 3) additional freezes to supplementary state and regime-controlled enterprises, such as the Burmese gem and timber industries. ¶3. (U) Foreign Minister Bakoyannis released a statement on behalf of the Greek government, posted in Greek and English on the MFA website. The English-language text is as follows: "I express my sadness and deep dismay at Aung San Suu Kyi's new sentencing. This is a deeply political act, turned against any notion of rule of law and justice, and has raised international outcry. The regime in Burma/Myanmar must immediately and unconditionally liberate the leader of the opposition and other political detainees, stop political persecutions, and the country must be led towards an open, democratic process. The regime must realize that the international community will not tolerate this situation." End text. SPECKHARD