ASSK URGES U.S., EU TO PUBLICIZE A "FLEXIBILITY"

C O N F I D E N T I A L RANGOON 000777 SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP AND IO PACOM FOR FPA E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/27/2019 TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM BM SUBJECT: ASSK URGES U.S., EU TO PUBLICIZE A "FLEXIBILITY" THEME RE BURMA REF: A. RANGOON 773 ¶B. RANGOON 735 Classified By: P/E Chief Jennifer Harhigh for Reasons 1.4 (b) & (d) ASSK, Lawyers Discuss Legal Arguments -------------- ¶1. (C) National League for Democracy (NLD) spokesman Nyan Win met November 26 with Aung San Suu Kyi (ASSK) for two hours at her residence to discuss legal arguments for her pending appeal to Burma's Supreme Court. During the meeting, Nyan Win informed ASSK of the USG's continued public and private push for internal dialogue in Burma, including during the Charge's November 23 meeting with a GOB official (Ref A), and USG efforts to support ASSK's request to meet with the full NLD Central Executive Committee (CEC) at a venue in which all parties are comfortable. She asked Nyan Win to convey her thanks for U.S. efforts. ASSK: U.S., EU Should Publicize "Flexibility" -------------- - ¶2. (C) Nyan Win told us November 27 that ASSK asked him to convey a specific message to the U.S. and the EU that both should better publicize a message of increased flexibility towards the Burmese Government. "The U.S. and the EU are trying to take a more flexible approach vis-a-vis the GOB, but more publicity of this effort is needed." Although we repeatedly sought clarification of just what ASSK intended by the request, Nyan Win could offer no further details. No Discussion of Than Shwe Letter, Sanctions Meeting -------------- -------------- ¶3. (C) Earlier, on November 24, Nyan Win told us he had heard rumors that "another general" (i.e., not Liaison Minister Aung Kyi) may have recently visited ASSK at her residence, possibly in response to ASSK's recent letter to Than Shwe. Nyan Win said he was not able to confirm this rumor during his November 26 session with ASSK. Nyan Win said he did not have an opportunity to discuss with ASSK the U.S.-EU-Australia-Canada request for a follow-up meeting with her to continue sanctions discussions. Nyan Win Passes Personal Correspondence -------------- ¶4. (C) Nyan Win passed ASSK a copy of A/S Campbell's book (per her request--Ref B),copies of recent POTUS and SECSTATE speeches from the Asia trip, as well as a letter from Vaclav Havel and a White House Christmas card which we had delivered during her November 4 meeting with A/S Campbell but which she had inadvertently left behind. Nyan Win confirmed that Special Branch does look through documents he takes in to ASSK; but if he stresses items are personal correspondence, the officers have been known to allow them through uninspected. Comment -------------- ¶5. (C) Just what ASSK is seeking via the message requesting the U.S. and EU to better publicize "increased flexibility" toward the Burmese regime, is not completely clear. Presumably she hopes to leverage such rhetoric in her own attempt to engage in dialogue with Nay Pyi Taw about the political future here and her own role in it. DINGER