DEMARCHE ON BURMA POLICY DELIVERED

UNCLAS BRUSSELS 000558 STATE FOR EUR/WE AND EAP/MLS:ESHEIBE NSC FOR ELIZABETH PHU E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL ETTC ETRD BM BE SUBJECT: DEMARCHE ON BURMA POLICY DELIVERED REF: A. STATE 33547 ¶B. 08 STATE 125635 Poloff delivered ref A demarche regarding U.S. and EU policy toward Burma to Christiaan Tanghe, Director for Asia in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and to Mohamed Lahmidi, acting Burma desk officer, on April 9. He provided a copy of the Treasury Department's paper "Technical Analysis of Potential Modifications to EU Sanctions Against Burma" (ref B). Lahmidi had attended a preparatory meeting for the GAERC at the EU commission on April 8. He said that at that meeting it was agreed that there would be no change to the common policy of the EU toward Burma. Tanghe expressed doubt that the Government of Burma would respond to any carrots or sticks the West could offer. Both Lahmidi and Tanghe were happy that the U.S. and the EU were determined to coordinate their actions with regard to Burma.