BURMA: MLS DIRECTOR MEETING WITH LABOR MINISTER

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 000193

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP AND IO; PACOM FOR FPA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/25/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM BM
SUBJECT: BURMA: MLS DIRECTOR MEETING WITH LABOR MINISTER

Classified By: Pol Officer Sean O'Neill for Reasons 1.4 (b) & (d)

Summary
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1. (C) During a March 24 meeting in Nay Pyi Taw during
EAP/MLS Director Stephen Blake's five-country familiarization
tour, Blake, Charge, and Burmese Minister for Labor and
Relations, Major General Aung Kyi, discussed labor issues and
relations with Aung San Suu Kyi (ASSK). Aung Kyi gave
assurance of the GOB's intention to keep cooperating with the
International Labor Organization (ILO) on forced labor,
citing statistics of progress since 2007. Aung Kyi expressed
exasperation over what he claims is ASSK's refusal to meet
with him, and rejected Charge's suggestion he should reach
out to her again. Echoing the regime's talking points, Aung
Kyi asserted the 2010 elections would be "free and fair."
Charge and Mr. Blake made the point that for an election to
be truly free and fair, ASSK and Burma's other opposition
political leaders, now in detention, would need to be able to
participate.

Working with the ILO
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2. (C) Aung Kyi told Blake and Charge that cooperation with
the ILO has been improving since the GOB and ILO entered into
a Supplementary Understanding providing for the joint
investigation of reported labor-rights violations. Aung Kyi
reported that, to date, 81 complaints of labor-rights abuses
have been reported to his Ministry by the ILO. Of these, 72
have been "resolved" with the remaining nine still under
investigation. The Labor Minister went on to describe
labor-rights training conducted jointly by the Ministry of
Labor and ILO, and claimed forced labor complaints have
declined as a result. Mr. Blake affirmed that the U.S.
places a high priority on labor rights and encouraged the
Minister to keep working to improve Burma's record on those
issues. In particular, Mr. Blake noted insufficient progress
has been made on forced labor and urged more attention on
that critical problem.

Aung San Suu Kyi
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3. (C) Speaking in his role as the regime's "Minister of
Relations," Aung Kyi lamented what he claims is ASSK's
refusal to meet with him. Aung Kyi recounted having met with
ASSK five times, but complained that she has not responded to
his two latest invitations in September 2008. He said their
first three meetings went well, there was progress; but in
their final two discussions there was divergence, especially
after a regime announcement in October 2007 that Senior
General Than Shwe would meet with ASSK if she renounces
"confrontation, utter devastation, and sanctions." Aung Kyi
said that opening had "great potential to solve problems;"
but, he complained, unfortunately ASSK responded that she
hadn't done any of the acts so she couldn't abandon them.
Aung Kyi said it appears ASSK doesn't want to talk with
anyone other than Than Shwe.


4. (C) Charge noted reports that ASSK did not respond in
September due to poor health at the time, and noted that the
NLD had recently issued a statement offering to meet with
regime officials "without precondition." In light of this,
Charge suggested that the ball is now in the GOB's court and
urged Aung Kyi to extend another invitation for talks. Aung
Kyi declined, saying that he prefers to wait for ASSK to
respond to his invitations from last September.

Elections
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5. (C) Mr. Blake noted that, despite GOB assurances, the USG
and many in the international community remain skeptical the
2010 elections will be truly free and fair with so many

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political prisoners, including ASSK, still behind bars. He
urged release of those political prisoners and expressed a
hope that reconciliation could commence. Echoing the
regime's talking points, Aung Kyi asserted the 2010 elections
would be "free and fair" and would result in "genuine"
results. Aung Kyi suggested that perhaps the situation would
change for the better in the coming months before the
elections are held. When asked, Aung Kyi denied having any
political ambitions of his own but held out the possibility
of a political future "if invited."

Comment
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6. (C) Major General Aung Kyi's ego was undoubtedly bruised
by ASSK's (accurate) observation that he is not a key
decision maker. Nonetheless, we reminded him that, as ASSK
is under house arrest and he is not, the opportunity to reach
out surely is in his hands. His work as Labor Minister is
more commendable, although far from perfect. He strikes us
as one of the regime's most marketable public faces. Since
he fudged a reply about his political future, we would not be
surprised if he were to play a role in a "civilian"
government after 2010.
DINGER