GERMAN RESPONSE TO BURMA DIALOGUE DEMARCHE

UNCLAS BERLIN 001536 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPARTMENT PLEASE PASS TO LAURA SCHEIBE, EAP/MLS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: BMGT PGOV PREL SUBJECT: GERMAN RESPONSE TO BURMA DIALOGUE DEMARCHE REF: STATE 121789 ¶1. (SBU) On December 1, Poloff discussed reftel points with Theo Kiddess, MFA Deputy Head of Division for Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and Pacific. Kiddess expressed his appreciation for the points, and fully agreed with U.S. views on the necessity of a legitimate 2010 election, for dialogue between Aung San Suu Kyi and the Government of Burma, and the full inclusion of opposition parties and ethnic minorities in Burma's political processes. ¶2. (SBU) Kiddess highlighted the importance of ASEAN countries in putting political pressure on Government of Burma (GOB) to seek dialogue with the opposition, and stressed that Germany will encourage its ASEAN partners to influence the GOB on ref agenda points. Kiddess stated that Germany will continue to support the EU consensus on Burma policy and actually fielded a call from the German representative in the EU regarding this issue as poloff delivered the demarche. MURPHY MURPHY