DEMARCHE REQUEST: PRST ON AUNG SAN SUU KYI

UNCLAS STATE 083603

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM UNSC BM RS CH
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE REQUEST: PRST ON AUNG SAN SUU KYI
VERDICT

REF: USUN NEW YORK 762


1. (U) This is an action request. Posts are requested to
demarche at the highest appropriate level regarding host
country objections to a draft UN Security Council
Presidential Statement (PRST) dealing with the Aung San Suu
Kyi verdict in Burma. (PRST text in REFTEL) Embassies
Beijing and Moscow may draw on para 3 points, which may also
be left as a nonpaper. Embassy Beijing should also draw from
and may leave the point contained in para 4.


2. (SBU) Background: On August 11 the Burmese government
convicted Aung San Suu Kyi on spurious charges of violating
her terms of house arrest. She was sentenced to three years
in prison, which was later commuted to 18 months under house
arrest. Her detention, which has spanned more than 13 of the
past 19 years, was unjustified from the start; the trial and
recent conviction underscore the lengths to which the
authorities are willing to go to silence dissent and solidify
their own rule in advance of the planned 2010 parliamentary
elections.


3. (U) Begin points:

We are deeply concerned by the recent conviction and
continued detention of Aung San Suu Kyi on spurious charges.
While we recognize that there are many challenges facing
Burma, Aung San Suu Kyi's unconditional release would have
been a concrete move toward national reconciliation, a
prerequisite for credible national elections.

Instead, the actions of the Burmese government raise
troubling questions as to its ultimate intentions toward the
international community, as well as toward the Burmese
people, with respect to a future transition to democracy.

We have all expressed our support for Secretary-General Ban
and his last visit to Burma. He has tried to engage the
Burmese officials on this issue. On August 11, the
Secretary-General issued a statement "strongly deploring" the
regime's decision to convict Aung San Suu Kyi and again
calling for her release in order to ensure the credibility of
the political process.

Since 2007, the Council has repeatedly emphasized the
"importance of the early release of all political prisoners
and remaining detainees" as well as "genuine dialogue with
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi." In May the Security Council issued a
press statement expressing "our concern about the political
impact of recent developments relating to Daw Aung Suu Kyi."
It is critical that we issue a timely presidential statement
condemning this conviction.


4. (U) (For Beijing Only) During the recent U.S.-China
Strategic and Economic Dialogue, the United States informed
China that we are prepared to respond in concrete terms to
positive steps on the part of the Burmese, specifically the
release of Aung San Suu Kyi. Now is the time for Beijing to
press Burma's generals to release her, both publicly through
the presidential statement and privately, or the Burmese
regime will forfeit a chance to improve relations with the
United States.

End points.


5. (U) As the subject matter is time-sensitive, Department
appreciates Posts' cooperation in delivering this demarche
expeditiously and in providing a rapid readout of the Chinese
and Russian responses. Please forward any readout to IO/UNP
Michael Garuckis, GaruckisMJ@state.sgov.gov; EUR/RUS Kathleen
Szpila, SzpilaKS@state.sgov.gov; and EAP/CM David
Kritenbrink, KritenbrinkDK@state.sgov.gov.
CLINTON