BURMA: TRIPARTITE CORE GROUP POWERS CURTAILED

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 000175 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/MLS; INR/EAP BANGKOK FOR USAID DEPT PLEASE PASS TO USAID/AME E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/18/2019 TAGS: PGOV PREL EAID PINR SOCI BM SUBJECT: BURMA: TRIPARTITE CORE GROUP POWERS CURTAILED RANGOON 00000175 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: P/E Chief Jennifer Harhigh for Reasons 1.4 (b and d). Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) UN Resident Coordinator Bishow Parajuli informed diplomats and aid officials March 18 that the Government of Burma has decided that the Tripartite Core Group (TCG) will no longer have the power to approve visas and extensions of stay for international staff engaged in Cyclone Nargis relief efforts. Instead, such requests must be submitted through the senior-level Foreign Affairs Policy Committee (FAPC). Furthermore, according to Parajuli, the GOB is tightening procedures for international NGOs working in the Delta and international staff/diplomats traveling to those areas. INGOS which wish to continue work in the Delta beyond April 30, 2009 must submit policy proposals by the end of March for the FAPC's approval. Foreigners will now be required to request travel permission five days in advance, rather than three. Parajuli said he is consulting with UN officials in New York and the ASEAN Secretariat on how best to challenge this setback for the TCG, which was just extended until July ¶2010. End summary. TCG No Longer Empowered to Approve Visas -------------- ¶2. (C) UN Resident Coordinator Parajuli hastily convened diplomats and aid officials March 18 to give a read-out of his March 17 meeting with TCG Chair Kyaw Thu and a separate TCG meeting in Nay Pyi Taw. He noted that the TCG had been dealt a serious setback, as it will no longer be empowered to approve visa and extension requests. The FAPC, which is chaired by SPDC Secretary 1 Thiha Thura Tin Aung Myint Oo, had informed the TCG in writing March 12 that it would review all applications for visas and extensions. Parajuli said he was told visa processing would take 2-3 weeks. (Note: In contrast, visas submitted through the TCG mechanism had sometimes been approved in as few as two days. End note.) INGO Procedures, Travel Permissions Tightened -------------- ¶3. (C) Parajuli reported that during a separate TCG meeting in Nay Pyi Taw, the Deputy Director General of the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement (MSW) informed TCG members that all international NGOs that intend to continue work in the Delta beyond April 30, 2009 would need to submit project proposals to the FAPC. (INGOs working in other areas of Burma first negotiate a Memorandum of Understanding with the appropriate Ministry. The MOUs are then approved by the FAPC. Following Nargis, the GOB allowed an exception to this procedure and did not require the FAPC to approve project agreements between INGOs and the MSW. It now appears to be rescinding this exception.) ¶4. (C) The Ministry of Social Welfare also announced that foreigners wishing to travel to the Delta, including international NGO staff and diplomats, would need to submit travel permission requests five (vice three) days in advance because those requests would need to be submitted to "higher authorities." UN, ASEAN to Coordinate Response; Donors Outraged -------------- -------------- ¶5. (C) Parajuli noted the obvious negative implications of these announcement on Burma's reputation and the ability to secure funding for the Post-Nargis Recovery and Preparedness RANGOON 00000175 002.2 OF 002 Plan (PONREPP). He expressed confidence that with the right amount of pressure it would be possible to have the new policies overturned and return to the status quo, noting that a similar tightening of procedures in June 2008 had been rescinded (no further information). He said he is in touch with UN officials in New York and will be talking to ASEAN Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan in the next few days to review options. Parajuli solicited donor ideas on how to best pressure the regime. ¶6. (C) The news provoked sharp reaction among donors. The EU, German, Italian, Australian, and British joined us in condemning the "emasculation" of the TCG. We agreed that without the power to ease access and approve visas, the TCG loses much of its utility. The EU echoed our comments that such an announcement would have an impact on policy discussions in our capitals. Donors reminded Parajuli that the success of the TCG is a key part of the argument that assistance can in fact be delivered and monitored effectively in Burma. Comment -------------- ¶7. (C) It seems regime hardliners have carried the day in curtailing the TCG's mandate. As a result, Delta access and NGO operations will become less efficient with the involvement of the FAPC (which also reviews our non-Delta-related visa requests); the question is whether they will also be curtailed. As one donor representative put it, it seems the "Alice in Wonderland" days of the TCG are over and it's back to business as usual in Burma. ¶8. (C) If these policy changes have any chance of being rescinded, it is most likely through a concerted effort by ASEAN and UN, rather than through bilateral donor pressure. Nevertheless, the CDA and visiting MLS Director Blake will have an opportunity to raise this issue during a scheduled March 24 meeting with Foreign Minister Nyan Win. We encourage the Department to consider avenues to engage ASEAN and the UN as well. VAJDA