NORWEGIANS LIKELY TO FOLLOW EU ON SUU KYI ISSUE

C O N F I D E N T I A L OSLO 000341 SIPDIS FOR EPA/MLS LAURA SCHEIBE E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/11/2019 TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL BM NO SUBJECT: NORWEGIANS LIKELY TO FOLLOW EU ON SUU KYI ISSUE REF: SECSTATE 46562 Classified By: Political Counselor Kristen Bauer for reasons 1.4(b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Poloff spoke with Senior Advisor Vegard Wennesland in the MFA East Asia section and discussed reftel points. Wennesland, after consulting within the MFA, said that no final decision had been taken on how to react to the May 30 milestone in Aung San Suu Kyi's house arrest. Wennesland said that the MFA was highly conscious not only that her imprisonment violated Burmese law, but also was in the context of increasingly severe sentences for political prisoners. ¶2. (C) Although Wennesland said that bringing up Suu Kyi in discussions with Burmese government officials would often shut down conversation due to their sensitivity to the issue, the GON still brought it up "any time we can." He said a statement by FM Stoere was "possible" on May 30 though unlikely, but there would be extensive consultation about what Norway should do with both Brussels and Bangkok. He said that Norway was likely to follow the EU position on the matter. WHITNEY