Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09DILI321
2009-12-09 06:44:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Dili
how-toVZCZCXRO1062 RR RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHHM DE RUEHDT #0321 3430644 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 090644Z DEC 09 FM AMEMBASSY DILI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4626 INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1145 RUEHDT/AMEMBASSY DILI 4182
UNCLAS DILI 000321
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV BM TT
SUBJECT: TIMOR-LESTE ON BURMA
REF: STATE 121789
UNCLAS DILI 000321
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV BM TT
SUBJECT: TIMOR-LESTE ON BURMA
REF: STATE 121789
1. Ambassador on December 1 and 2 spoke with Timor-Leste's
president and foreign minister, respectively, to share USG views
on Burma as conveyed in reftel. President Ramos-Horta said he
highly appreciated and was impressed by recent U.S. overtures to
Burma. While he shared our disappointment with the Burmese
regime's recent actions, he remained optimistic that the Burmese
military eventually will be responsive to U.S. efforts. Based
on his contacts with senior Burmese and his reading of Burma's
strategic situation, squeezed between India and China,
Ramos-Horta believes the Burmese generals are very anxious to
improve relations with the U.S. He encouraged the USG not to be
overly discouraged by the events in November and predicted the
Burmese regime eventually will relent both on ASSK's ability to
meet with the NLD party leadership, and the release of political
prisoners, albeit at a time more proximate to the planned
elections. That said, Ramos-Horta repeated that he strongly
believes that Burma must be admonished at the UN for its
deplorable human rights record. He recalled with dismay the
foreign minister's instructions to the Timorese delegation at
the UN to abstain in committee, and reported that he personally
told the Timorese permrep to vote with the U.S. in plenary.
2. Foreign Minister da Costa also expressed gratitude for the
readout of recent U.S.-Burma engagement. Despite our
disappointment with Timor-Leste's abstention at the UN, however,
he stuck by his conclusion that Timor-Leste must align itself
with ASEAN on the UN Burma human rights vote in order to protect
its bid to join ASEAN in 2012. He again offered hope that the
Burmese regime would use the current situation to liberalize
sufficiently to ensure the legitimacy of the 2010 elections. He
noted that he would be travelling to Burma to meet his
counterpart and other leaders of the regime early in 2010 and
asked to be kept apprised of U.S. policy developments.
KLEMM
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV BM TT
SUBJECT: TIMOR-LESTE ON BURMA
REF: STATE 121789
1. Ambassador on December 1 and 2 spoke with Timor-Leste's
president and foreign minister, respectively, to share USG views
on Burma as conveyed in reftel. President Ramos-Horta said he
highly appreciated and was impressed by recent U.S. overtures to
Burma. While he shared our disappointment with the Burmese
regime's recent actions, he remained optimistic that the Burmese
military eventually will be responsive to U.S. efforts. Based
on his contacts with senior Burmese and his reading of Burma's
strategic situation, squeezed between India and China,
Ramos-Horta believes the Burmese generals are very anxious to
improve relations with the U.S. He encouraged the USG not to be
overly discouraged by the events in November and predicted the
Burmese regime eventually will relent both on ASSK's ability to
meet with the NLD party leadership, and the release of political
prisoners, albeit at a time more proximate to the planned
elections. That said, Ramos-Horta repeated that he strongly
believes that Burma must be admonished at the UN for its
deplorable human rights record. He recalled with dismay the
foreign minister's instructions to the Timorese delegation at
the UN to abstain in committee, and reported that he personally
told the Timorese permrep to vote with the U.S. in plenary.
2. Foreign Minister da Costa also expressed gratitude for the
readout of recent U.S.-Burma engagement. Despite our
disappointment with Timor-Leste's abstention at the UN, however,
he stuck by his conclusion that Timor-Leste must align itself
with ASEAN on the UN Burma human rights vote in order to protect
its bid to join ASEAN in 2012. He again offered hope that the
Burmese regime would use the current situation to liberalize
sufficiently to ensure the legitimacy of the 2010 elections. He
noted that he would be travelling to Burma to meet his
counterpart and other leaders of the regime early in 2010 and
asked to be kept apprised of U.S. policy developments.
KLEMM