PRC OFFERS WEAK REACTION TO BURMESE OPPOSITION

C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIJING 002341 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP/CM AND EAP/MLS - LAURA SCHEIBE E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/13/2029 TAGS: PREL PHUM PGOV BM CH SUBJECT: PRC OFFERS WEAK REACTION TO BURMESE OPPOSITION LEADER AUNG SAN SUU KYI'S CONVICTION REF: STATE 083598 Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Aubrey Carlson. Reasons 1. 4 (b, d) ¶1. (C) China hopes Burma can peacefully resolve its own internal issues and maintains that the international community should not interfere in any country's legal system, MFA Asian Affairs Department Burma Division Deputy Director Chen Chen told PolOff August 13 in response to reftel points urging the PRC to express publicly disappointment about Aung San Suu Kyi's conviction and to press the Burmese regime to release ASSK immediately and unconditionally. Chen added that China was willing to provide assistance to strengthen contacts (jiaqiang jiechu) between the U.S. and Burma. While allowing for the possibility that the PRC Mission to the United Nations had been in contact with the Burmese Mission in New York, Chen confirmed that the PRC had not made any representation to Burma related to ASSK's verdict. ¶2. (U) Separately, according to August 12 media reports, MFA Spokeswoman Jiang Yu offered the following comment on the ASSK conviction: "The international community should fully respect Myanmar's judicial sovereignty. As a neighboring country of Myanmar, the Chinese side hopes the relevant parties in Myanmar will promote ethnic reconciliation via negotiations and gradually realize stability, democracy and development. This not only is in the interest of the Myanmar side, but also will benefit regional stability." GOLDBERG