Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09RANGOON407
2009-07-01 07:42:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Rangoon
Cable title:
BURMA: UN DISCUSSES SYG BAN'S TENTATIVE AGENDA
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 000407
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/MLS, INR/EAP
PACOM FOR FPA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/25/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR PHUM BM
SUBJECT: BURMA: UN DISCUSSES SYG BAN'S TENTATIVE AGENDA
REF: A. RANGOON 404
B. RANGOON 406
RANGOON 00000407 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: Economic Officer Samantha A. Carl-Yoder for Reasons 1.4
(b and d).
Summary
-------
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 000407
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/MLS, INR/EAP
PACOM FOR FPA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/25/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR PHUM BM
SUBJECT: BURMA: UN DISCUSSES SYG BAN'S TENTATIVE AGENDA
REF: A. RANGOON 404
B. RANGOON 406
RANGOON 00000407 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: Economic Officer Samantha A. Carl-Yoder for Reasons 1.4
(b and d).
Summary
--------------
1. (C) According to UN officials in Rangoon, during UN
Secretary General Ban Ki Moon's July 3-4 visit to Burma he is
scheduled to travel to Nay Pyi Taw to meet with Senior
General Than Shwe and other top GOB officials, cease fire
groups, and political parties; visit several Cyclone-affected
villages in the Irrawaddy Delta; and meet with the UN Country
Team and staff in Rangoon. Ban also plans to meet with
"stakeholders" in Rangoon, including diplomats, NGOs, and
donors, where he will give a speech on a topic to be
determined. The GOB has yet to grant Ban permission to meet
with Aung San Suu Kyi, and it is not clear whether the
National League for Democracy (NLD) will be included in the
Nay Pyi Taw meetings or otherwise meet with Ban. According
to ILO Liaison Officer Steve Marshall, Ban will travel with a
party of up to 30 individuals, including UN Special Envoy
Gambari and eight international press. End Summary.
Tentative Schedule
--------------
2. (C) UN Resident Coordinator Bishow Parajuli hosted a UN
Country Team meeting on July 1 to discuss preparations for
Secretary General Ban Ki Moon's July 3-4 visit to Burma.
According to ILO Liaison Officer Steve Marshall, who
attended, Ban will arrive from Singapore the morning of July
3 accompanied by roughly 30 people, including UN Special
Envoy Gambari and eight journalists. UN Country Team members
will meet Ban at the airport and will escort him to a holding
room at the Sedona Hotel in Rangoon. Marshall confirmed that
Ban and his party will travel to Nay Pyi Taw on July 3 for
the following meetings:
-- Senior General Than Shwe (with other top GOB officials
possibly in attendance);
-- Representatives of cease fire groups (participants to be
determined);
-- Representatives of political parties (participants to be
determined; and
-- Members of the Tripartite Core Group, representing ASEAN,
the UN, and the GOB.
3. (C) Ban and his party will spend the night in Nay Pyi
Taw, Marshall told us. Parajuli and a local UN interpreter
are scheduled to attend all meetings.
4. (C) Ban plans to return to Rangoon the morning of July
4, and will travel by helicopter to the Irrawaddy Delta to
visit villages in several townships, Marshall noted. While
the GOB wants Ban to visit its model villages, the UN is
pushing for Ban to see other affected villages that are "more
realistic." Journalists and four members of the UN Country
Team are also invited to the Delta.
5. (C) Ban will return to Rangoon on the afternoon of July
4, and expects to hold meetings with UN Country Team members
and UN Staff. Ban has also requested to have a meeting with
"stakeholders," including diplomats, donors, and NGO
RANGOON 00000407 002.2 OF 002
officials. According to Marshall, this meeting may be open
to the press, and Ban plans to make a public address
(although the topic of this speech is unclear).
6. (C) Ban currently plans to depart Rangoon on the 7:45pm
Thai Airways flight. Note: We are curious if Ban's schedule
the early evening of July 4 will conflict with our
Independence Day event which has nearly 500 acceptances. We
would happily have him add us to his schedule!
Nothing Yet for ASSK or the NLD
--------------
7. (C) Ban has requested a meeting with Aung San Suu Kyi,
but the GOB has not yet granted permission. As of COB July
1, the GOB also has not contacted the NLD about a meeting
with Ban, though party leaders remain eager to see him.
Objectives of the Visit
--------------
8. (C) According to Marshall, the SYG during his meetings
with GOB officials will call for the release of political
prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi; urge the government to
resume dialogue with opposition groups (the UN only specified
opposition groups, and made no reference to ethnic
minorities); encourage the creation of conditions conducive
for credible elections in 2010; and seek support for the
continued provision of humanitarian assistance for Cyclone
Nargis-affected areas.
9. (C) Marshall believes that Gambari may return to Rangoon
on July 2 to "firm up" Ban's schedule, but would depart the
same day so he could return on July 3 as part of Ban's party.
DINGER
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/MLS, INR/EAP
PACOM FOR FPA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/25/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR PHUM BM
SUBJECT: BURMA: UN DISCUSSES SYG BAN'S TENTATIVE AGENDA
REF: A. RANGOON 404
B. RANGOON 406
RANGOON 00000407 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: Economic Officer Samantha A. Carl-Yoder for Reasons 1.4
(b and d).
Summary
--------------
1. (C) According to UN officials in Rangoon, during UN
Secretary General Ban Ki Moon's July 3-4 visit to Burma he is
scheduled to travel to Nay Pyi Taw to meet with Senior
General Than Shwe and other top GOB officials, cease fire
groups, and political parties; visit several Cyclone-affected
villages in the Irrawaddy Delta; and meet with the UN Country
Team and staff in Rangoon. Ban also plans to meet with
"stakeholders" in Rangoon, including diplomats, NGOs, and
donors, where he will give a speech on a topic to be
determined. The GOB has yet to grant Ban permission to meet
with Aung San Suu Kyi, and it is not clear whether the
National League for Democracy (NLD) will be included in the
Nay Pyi Taw meetings or otherwise meet with Ban. According
to ILO Liaison Officer Steve Marshall, Ban will travel with a
party of up to 30 individuals, including UN Special Envoy
Gambari and eight international press. End Summary.
Tentative Schedule
--------------
2. (C) UN Resident Coordinator Bishow Parajuli hosted a UN
Country Team meeting on July 1 to discuss preparations for
Secretary General Ban Ki Moon's July 3-4 visit to Burma.
According to ILO Liaison Officer Steve Marshall, who
attended, Ban will arrive from Singapore the morning of July
3 accompanied by roughly 30 people, including UN Special
Envoy Gambari and eight journalists. UN Country Team members
will meet Ban at the airport and will escort him to a holding
room at the Sedona Hotel in Rangoon. Marshall confirmed that
Ban and his party will travel to Nay Pyi Taw on July 3 for
the following meetings:
-- Senior General Than Shwe (with other top GOB officials
possibly in attendance);
-- Representatives of cease fire groups (participants to be
determined);
-- Representatives of political parties (participants to be
determined; and
-- Members of the Tripartite Core Group, representing ASEAN,
the UN, and the GOB.
3. (C) Ban and his party will spend the night in Nay Pyi
Taw, Marshall told us. Parajuli and a local UN interpreter
are scheduled to attend all meetings.
4. (C) Ban plans to return to Rangoon the morning of July
4, and will travel by helicopter to the Irrawaddy Delta to
visit villages in several townships, Marshall noted. While
the GOB wants Ban to visit its model villages, the UN is
pushing for Ban to see other affected villages that are "more
realistic." Journalists and four members of the UN Country
Team are also invited to the Delta.
5. (C) Ban will return to Rangoon on the afternoon of July
4, and expects to hold meetings with UN Country Team members
and UN Staff. Ban has also requested to have a meeting with
"stakeholders," including diplomats, donors, and NGO
RANGOON 00000407 002.2 OF 002
officials. According to Marshall, this meeting may be open
to the press, and Ban plans to make a public address
(although the topic of this speech is unclear).
6. (C) Ban currently plans to depart Rangoon on the 7:45pm
Thai Airways flight. Note: We are curious if Ban's schedule
the early evening of July 4 will conflict with our
Independence Day event which has nearly 500 acceptances. We
would happily have him add us to his schedule!
Nothing Yet for ASSK or the NLD
--------------
7. (C) Ban has requested a meeting with Aung San Suu Kyi,
but the GOB has not yet granted permission. As of COB July
1, the GOB also has not contacted the NLD about a meeting
with Ban, though party leaders remain eager to see him.
Objectives of the Visit
--------------
8. (C) According to Marshall, the SYG during his meetings
with GOB officials will call for the release of political
prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi; urge the government to
resume dialogue with opposition groups (the UN only specified
opposition groups, and made no reference to ethnic
minorities); encourage the creation of conditions conducive
for credible elections in 2010; and seek support for the
continued provision of humanitarian assistance for Cyclone
Nargis-affected areas.
9. (C) Marshall believes that Gambari may return to Rangoon
on July 2 to "firm up" Ban's schedule, but would depart the
same day so he could return on July 3 as part of Ban's party.
DINGER