STATE-RUN MEDIA OFFERS EXTENSIVE, POSITIVE

C O N F I D E N T I A L RANGOON 000540

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EAP/MLS, DRL, AND IO
PACOM FOR FPA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/16/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM BM
SUBJECT: STATE-RUN MEDIA OFFERS EXTENSIVE, POSITIVE
COVERAGE OF SENATOR WEBB VISIT

Classified By: Political Officer Marc Shaw for Reasons 1.4 (b) & (d)

Summary
--------------


1. (SBU) Media reaction to Senator Webb's visit figured
prominently in both state- and privately-owned Burmese
newspapers. The weekend editions of the state-run daily,
Myanmar Ahlin, and its English-language equivalent, New Light
of Myanmar (NLM),contained lengthy reports on Senator Webb's
meetings with Than Shwe and the Prime Minister, with shorter
articles on the Senator's other meetings, including the one
with Aung San Suu Kyi (ASSK). Editorials -- recently quite
critical of the U.S. -- also cast the Webb visit in a
positive light. The regime is also portraying itself as a
beacon of humanitarianism and cooperative player in the
international arena through granting the release of John
Yettaw and a meeting with ASSK. End Summary.

Spotlight on Webb Visit
--------------


2. (SBU) Burma's State-run media has extensively covered
Senator Webb's August 14-16 visit. The NLM contained lengthy
write-ups of the Senator's meetings with SPDC officials while
separate, shorter articles reported on his meetings with the
Commission for Drafting the State Constitution, political
parties, ethnic ceasefire groups, and Aung San Suu Kyi
(ASSK). The NLM even covered Senator Webb's departure from
Rangoon and his press conference. As is typical of NLM
reporting, the articles focused on who was present at the
meeting and offered little on what was discussed. In the
Burmese context, however, noting a long list of senior GOB
officials present at a meeting is itself a means to signal
the relative importance of an event.


3. (C) The only privately-owned English-language weekly
journal, Myanmar Times, carried a front-page report on
Senator Webb's press conference, noting the Senator's call
for ASSK's participation in the political process and free
and fair elections. The English-language journal, which like
all publications in Burma is censored by the government,
quoted word-for-word Senator Webb's comments at the airport.
In a conversation with Embassy PD Officer, the article's
ghost writer -- a UK citizen who has worked for six years as
an editor at the newspaper -- said he "could not remember
when, or if, we were last allowed to run such references on
the front page." By comparison, the journalist noted that
the censor board recently cut an article summarizing the UN
Security Council statement in response to the ASSK verdict.


4. (SBU) The best indication of the regime's desire to
portray the visit positively is the August 18 NKM editorial
entitled "The First Step of a Long Journey." The editorial
explained that Burma enthusiastically cooperated with Senator
Webb because it wants "to deepen bilateral relations and
relieve the disagreements between the two countries." It
also noted the visit should be viewed as a success for both
the United States and Burma. The editorial made clear the
reasons behind UN SYG Ban Ki-moon's request to visit ASSK
being denied; she was still on trial at the time. Finally
(because this is Burma),the editorial emphasized the
magnanimous nature of Senior General Than Shwe in releasing
John Yettaw and allowing the Senator to meet with ASSK.

VAJDA