Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09BRUSSELS702
2009-05-18 17:52:00
CONFIDENTIAL
USEU Brussels
Cable title:
BURMA: EU CONSIDERING ADDITIONAL SANCTIONS;
how-toVZCZCXRO7214 OO RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDBU RUEHDT RUEHFL RUEHHM RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHNP RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHTRO DE RUEHBS #0702/01 1381752 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 181752Z MAY 09 FM USEU BRUSSELS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS COLLECTIVE RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE RUEHGO/AMEMBASSY RANGOON RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN RUEHTC/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE RUEHPG/AMEMBASSY PRAGUE RUEHSM/AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 000702
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/MLS, EUR/ERA
TREASURY FOR OFAC
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/17/2019
TAGS: PREL PHUM ETTC ENRG EPET EFIN KJUS BM EUN
SUBJECT: BURMA: EU CONSIDERING ADDITIONAL SANCTIONS;
WAITING FOR RESULTS OF ASSK TRIAL
REF: A. 5/18/09 USEU TODAY E-MAIL
B. 08 STATE 125635
C. 08 BRUSSELS 1884
Classified By: USEU Pol M-C Chris Davis for reasons 1.4 (b) & (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 000702
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/MLS, EUR/ERA
TREASURY FOR OFAC
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/17/2019
TAGS: PREL PHUM ETTC ENRG EPET EFIN KJUS BM EUN
SUBJECT: BURMA: EU CONSIDERING ADDITIONAL SANCTIONS;
WAITING FOR RESULTS OF ASSK TRIAL
REF: A. 5/18/09 USEU TODAY E-MAIL
B. 08 STATE 125635
C. 08 BRUSSELS 1884
Classified By: USEU Pol M-C Chris Davis for reasons 1.4 (b) & (d)
1. (C) Summary: Outraged over the arrest and trial of
Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi (ASSK) on the eve
of her release, EU Foreign Ministers directed Council and
Commission staff on May 18 to begin looking at additional
restrictive measures (including new sanctions) that might be
taken in the event that ASSK is convicted and re-imprisoned.
Measures under consideration will include a new ban on
exports of luxury goods to Burma, sanctions on the oil and
gas sector, reform of current sanctions along the lines of
our recent OFAC/State non-paper, and the possible addition of
selected judges to the EU's visa ban list. Member State Asia
specialists (COASI) and External Relations Counselors (RELEX)
will now consider options in parallel and prepare
recommendations for the June GAERC. End Summary.
2. (C) The EU's General Affairs and External Relations
Council (GAERC) of EU Foreign Ministers met on May 18 and
discussed the arrest and trial of Aung San Suu Kyi in
Rangoon. According to an institutional source who was
present for the discussion, FMs were frustrated at the
Burmese regime's transparent attempt to use the unauthorized
visit of the American swimmer as a pretext to further extend
ASSK's detention. Czech FM Jan Kohout told other ministers
that the EU needed to prepare new restrictive measures in
case ASSK's detention is extended, specifically suggesting a
new ban on the export of luxury goods to Burma. Discussion
was animated, with the Commission representative arguing that
other measures besides sanctions must be considered, while
the UK pushed for strengthening the sanctions program with
new measures.
3. (C) FMs agreed that relevant EU bodies (COASI and RELEX)
should be directed to develop additional restrictive measures
(possibly including new sanctions) that could be considered
at the June session of the GAERC. Measures to be considered
include a new ban on exports of luxury goods to Burma,
sanctions on the oil and gas sector, reform of current
sanctions along the lines of our recent OFAC/State non-paper
(ref B),and the possible addition of selected judges to the
EU's visa ban list.
4. (C) At this point, the most likely result of the EU's
deliberations would be some combination of a new travel ban
on Burmese judges who are complicit in the sentencing of
political prisoners, and U.S. ideas from our recent
non-paper. According to the UK's COASI rep, the UK looked at
the luxury goods ban last year and concluded that it was
unworkable and would not send much of a political signal.
The UK is generally supportive of new measures in oil and
gas, but believes that France would block new measures in
that sector, as they have in the past.
5. (C) The EU appears to be poised for rapid action. The
next step is for Member State reps on the Council's Asia
Working Party (COASI) to consider ideas for additional
measures in parallel with the group of External Relations
Counselors (RELEX),who will work at the same time. We
expect COASI will discuss initial ideas this Wednesday at
their next meeting. A Commission sanctions expert told us
that he hopes COASI will take the lead to avoid upsetting
experts on the geographical desks.
6. (C) Comment: The EU seems receptive to ideas on how to
apply pressure to the regime, and the UK's COASI rep told us
that now would be the time for the U.S. to weigh in if we had
BRUSSELS 00000702 002 OF 002
any thoughts. If we believe that the OFAC non-paper we
delivered in the fall (ref C) still represents a good set of
ideas for the EU to implement, we could remind governments in
selected capitals and Brussels that the paper exists as
current U.S. policy. Our contacts at the UK Permanent
Representation and at the Council General Secretariat both
independently suggested this course of action. End comment.
.
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/MLS, EUR/ERA
TREASURY FOR OFAC
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/17/2019
TAGS: PREL PHUM ETTC ENRG EPET EFIN KJUS BM EUN
SUBJECT: BURMA: EU CONSIDERING ADDITIONAL SANCTIONS;
WAITING FOR RESULTS OF ASSK TRIAL
REF: A. 5/18/09 USEU TODAY E-MAIL
B. 08 STATE 125635
C. 08 BRUSSELS 1884
Classified By: USEU Pol M-C Chris Davis for reasons 1.4 (b) & (d)
1. (C) Summary: Outraged over the arrest and trial of
Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi (ASSK) on the eve
of her release, EU Foreign Ministers directed Council and
Commission staff on May 18 to begin looking at additional
restrictive measures (including new sanctions) that might be
taken in the event that ASSK is convicted and re-imprisoned.
Measures under consideration will include a new ban on
exports of luxury goods to Burma, sanctions on the oil and
gas sector, reform of current sanctions along the lines of
our recent OFAC/State non-paper, and the possible addition of
selected judges to the EU's visa ban list. Member State Asia
specialists (COASI) and External Relations Counselors (RELEX)
will now consider options in parallel and prepare
recommendations for the June GAERC. End Summary.
2. (C) The EU's General Affairs and External Relations
Council (GAERC) of EU Foreign Ministers met on May 18 and
discussed the arrest and trial of Aung San Suu Kyi in
Rangoon. According to an institutional source who was
present for the discussion, FMs were frustrated at the
Burmese regime's transparent attempt to use the unauthorized
visit of the American swimmer as a pretext to further extend
ASSK's detention. Czech FM Jan Kohout told other ministers
that the EU needed to prepare new restrictive measures in
case ASSK's detention is extended, specifically suggesting a
new ban on the export of luxury goods to Burma. Discussion
was animated, with the Commission representative arguing that
other measures besides sanctions must be considered, while
the UK pushed for strengthening the sanctions program with
new measures.
3. (C) FMs agreed that relevant EU bodies (COASI and RELEX)
should be directed to develop additional restrictive measures
(possibly including new sanctions) that could be considered
at the June session of the GAERC. Measures to be considered
include a new ban on exports of luxury goods to Burma,
sanctions on the oil and gas sector, reform of current
sanctions along the lines of our recent OFAC/State non-paper
(ref B),and the possible addition of selected judges to the
EU's visa ban list.
4. (C) At this point, the most likely result of the EU's
deliberations would be some combination of a new travel ban
on Burmese judges who are complicit in the sentencing of
political prisoners, and U.S. ideas from our recent
non-paper. According to the UK's COASI rep, the UK looked at
the luxury goods ban last year and concluded that it was
unworkable and would not send much of a political signal.
The UK is generally supportive of new measures in oil and
gas, but believes that France would block new measures in
that sector, as they have in the past.
5. (C) The EU appears to be poised for rapid action. The
next step is for Member State reps on the Council's Asia
Working Party (COASI) to consider ideas for additional
measures in parallel with the group of External Relations
Counselors (RELEX),who will work at the same time. We
expect COASI will discuss initial ideas this Wednesday at
their next meeting. A Commission sanctions expert told us
that he hopes COASI will take the lead to avoid upsetting
experts on the geographical desks.
6. (C) Comment: The EU seems receptive to ideas on how to
apply pressure to the regime, and the UK's COASI rep told us
that now would be the time for the U.S. to weigh in if we had
BRUSSELS 00000702 002 OF 002
any thoughts. If we believe that the OFAC non-paper we
delivered in the fall (ref C) still represents a good set of
ideas for the EU to implement, we could remind governments in
selected capitals and Brussels that the paper exists as
current U.S. policy. Our contacts at the UK Permanent
Representation and at the Council General Secretariat both
independently suggested this course of action. End comment.
.