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