BURMA: ASSK PAYS RESPECT TO NLD ELDERS; DISCUSSES

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 RANGOON 000806 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP/MLS, AND IO PACOM FOR FPA E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/16/2019 TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM BM SUBJECT: BURMA: ASSK PAYS RESPECT TO NLD ELDERS; DISCUSSES CEC MEETING WITH GOB OFFICIALS REF: RANGOON 743 RANGOON 00000806 001.2 OF 003 Classified By: P/E Chief Jennifer Harhigh for Reasons 1.4 (b) & (d) Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) Aung San Suu Kyi (ASSK) met December 16 with three ailing National League for Democracy (NLD) leaders at a government guesthouse to seek a mandate to reorganize the party. NLD spokesman and ASSK attorney Nyan Win, who met with ASSK for over two hours at her residence December 15, confirmed that the GOB has agreed in principle to allow ASSK to meet with the party's Central Executive Committee (CEC), although discussions regarding venue continue and it is unclear if all CEC members will be permitted to attend. ASSK is increasingly concerned about the GOB's failure to issue timely electoral legislation. See paragraph 9 for suggested press guidance. End summary. ASSK Seeks Mandate from NLD Elders to Reorganize Party -------------- -------------- ¶2. (C) ASSK met December 16 for approximately 45 minutes with ailing CEC members (aka Uncles) U Aung Shwe, the NLD chairman, U Lwin, and U Lun Tin at the Sein Lei Kan Tha government guesthouse. According to Nyan Win, who discussed the matter with ASSK December 15, ASSK planned to use the opportunity to seek a mandate from the three leaders to allow her to reorganize the NLD, including to expand the CEC. Nyan Win told us ASSK did not intend to ask the ailing leaders to resign their CEC positions; they will retain their status as CEC members but other new members would be added. Nyan Win declined to specify how many new positions would be created or if ASSK would ask U Aung Shwe to relinquish his position as chairman. (Note: In a read-out of the session provided to the press, U Lwin confirmed all three Uncles gave ASSK their permission to reform the CEC and pledged their support for her efforts. End note.) ¶3. (C) Nyan Win reported that Burmese national police chief Khin Yi visited ASSK at her residence December 14 to relay that the GOB had agreed to allow her to pay respects to the three Uncles and to meet with the CEC. (Note: as described in reftel, ASSK had included both those requests in her second letter to Than Shwe, sent November 11. End note.) Although ASSK told Khin Yi she preferred to visit the sick Uncles at their homes, she ultimately agreed to the GOB's proposal for a group meeting at the government guesthouse. Although Khin Yi insisted that a GOB police officer (Special Branch Deputy Director Colonel Win Naing Tun) be present at the meeting, he reportedly agreed to ASSK's request that the meeting not be photographed. GOB Sought to Pay Respects to Uncles -------------- ¶4. (C) According to Nyan Win, ASSK planned to present the three Uncles with fruit baskets and pay her respects. In an interesting twist, Khin Yi asked ASSK whether it was acceptable for GOB authorities to pay their respects to the Uncles as well by presenting each with a tribute of 300,000 kyat (approximately USD 300). Nyan Win said ASSK firmly opposed the monetary offer but agreed that GOB authorities could present modest in-kind gifts of food or clothing. (Note: Although such an offer by the authorities in light of their 20-year animosity toward the NLD might seem odd, we note that paying respects to elders is a Burmese Buddhist tradition. U Aung Shwe is a retired Brigadier General; U Lwin and U Lun Tin are both retired colonels who held high government positions before and during the Ne Win era. End note.) RANGOON 00000806 002.2 OF 003 Venue, Composition of ASSK Meeting with CEC TBD -------------- -- ¶5. (C) Nyan Win relayed that Khin Yi indicated to ASSK she will also be permitted to meet with the NLD CEC. According to Nyan Win, ASSK said she will "stick to" her stipulations to Khin Yi that such a meeting not take place at the government guesthouse and not be witnessed by GOB authorities. The GOB is apparently "considering" these requests. When we asked if such a meeting would include all CEC members, including Win Tin and Khin Maung Swe, Nyan Win said he did not know but added that ASSK had clearly requested in her letter to Than Shwe to meet with the "full strength" CEC and insisted that only the NLD could decide CEC membership. ¶6. (C) Nyan Win expects an ASSK-CEC meeting could take place by the week of December 21. Regarding ASSK's other request in her letter -- to meet personally with Than Shwe -- ASSK is reportedly optimistic but believes that she will meet with either Prime Minister Thein Sein or Chief of General Staff General Thura Shwe Mann initially. When asked about the timing of the GOB's decision to permit ASSK to meet the elderly Uncles, and possibly the CEC, Nyan Win replied that he believes ASSK's letter to Than Shwe had been the source of significant discussion during the recent SPDC quarterly meeting, held in late November. ASSK Concerned about Lack of Electoral Legislation -------------- -------------- ¶7. (C) Nyan Win and ASSK also discussed the GOB's planned 2010 elections. ASSK reportedly said that if the GOB declines to issue political party registration and electoral legislation before the end of 2009, she will make public her view that it is impossible to hold free and fair elections in 2010 due to a lack of adequate preparation time. ASSK, Legal Team Finalize Appeal Arguments -------------- ¶8. (C) Meanwhile, Nyan Win, together with the other three members of ASSK's legal team, finalized legal arguments with ASSK and her two female assistants December 15. Nyan Win said the legal team expects to present the arguments for admission of the appeal before the Supreme Court as scheduled on December 21. ASSK and her co-defendants are not expected to appear in court that day. If the Supreme Court agrees to hear the full appeal, Nyan Win will request a follow-up visit to ASSK December 22 or 23. Suggested Press Guidance -------------- ¶9. (SBU) Post suggests the following press guidance elements concerning ASSK's meeting with the three CEC members: -- We welcome the Burma government's decision to permit Aung San Suu Kyi to pay respects to her party elders on December 16. This gesture is helpful to the reconciliation process. -- We also welcome the December 9 meeting between Aung San Suu Kyi and Labor Minister Aung Kyi. -- We encouraged continued steps by Burmese authorities to foster dialogue among all stakeholders in Burma. -- In particular, we urge the government to agree to Aung San Suu Kyi's request in her recent letter to Senior General Than Shwe to meet with her party's full Central Executive Committee at her house as soon as possible. RANGOON 00000806 003.2 OF 003 Comment -------------- ¶10. (C) NLD leaders with whom we've spoken, including Nyan Win and CEC member Khin Maung Swe, are encouraged by the GOB's agreement to allow ASSK to meet the ailing Uncles. We concur it is a positive step, a direct response to ASSK's request, and an outcome of the GOB's limited dialogue thus far with her. Our NLD contacts are also optimistic ASSK will be allowed to meet the CEC, and possibly a top general, in the near future. Reportedly, ASSK shares that optimism. Our own perspective, for now, will remain guarded on that count, since, as always in Burma, the devil is in the details. Participation and venue are key concerns. We will continue to do what we can to encourage the process. DINGER