GOH CHANGES ITS MIND:ISSUES STATEMENT CONDEMNING

UNCLAS BUDAPEST 000593 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/MLS LSHEIBE, PLEASE PASS TO EUR/CE JLAMORE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL BM EU HU SUBJECT: GOH CHANGES ITS MIND:ISSUES STATEMENT CONDEMNING AUNG SAN SUU KYI CONVICTION REF: A. STATE 83598 ¶B. BUDAPEST 590 ¶1. (SBU) Post received word in the late afternoon of August 14 from the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs that, after further consideration, it would release a statement condemning the conviction and continued detention of Aung San Suu Kyi. Emboff delivered the talking points contained in ref A to the MFA's Asia bureau on August 12 and was initially informed that Hungary would not issue a statement separate from that already issued by the Swedish EU Presidency (ref B). ¶2. (U) The following is the text of the MFA's statement, released on August 14: Begin text The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Hungary condemns the conviction of Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of the Burmese opposition, for another eighteen months of house arrest as unjust and considers it a violation of international human rights norms. The unfounded accusation, trial, and sentence all served as an excuse to extend Aung San Suu Kyi's house arrest in order to keep her out of political life in the period of the elections planned for ¶2010. The sentence raises doubts in the international community about the commitment of the Government of Myanmar towards democratic transition and to its own "Road Map," and questions considerably the credibility of the parliamentary elections envisaged for 2010. The Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs appeals to the Myanmar authorities to release Aung San Suu Kyi and the other more than two thousand political prisoners as a prerequisite for any democratic transition in Myanmar. End text LEVINE