DEMARCHE REQUEST: CONSULTING WITH EU ON BURMA

C O N F I D E N T I A L STOCKHOLM 000258 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/24/2019 TAGS: PREL PGOV ETRD EU BM SW SUBJECT: DEMARCHE REQUEST: CONSULTING WITH EU ON BURMA POLICY REVIEW REF: SECSTATE 33547 Classified By: POL COUNSELOR MARC KOEHLER FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) On April 24, Emboffs delivered reftel demarche to Liselott Andersson, Head of the South East Asia Unit in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Andersson confirmed that there will be a rollover of the common position at the April 27 GAERC meeting. "The position is linked to what is happening on the ground and we do not see much progress," Andersson stated. However, she said that they have seen little impact from the sanctions so far. ¶2. (C) Andersson told econoff that there will be no changes to EU policy, but the EU will probably express its readiness to increase aid and show it is "ready to commit." It is not only about sanctions policies, she continued, but also humanitarian assistance, and there have been some positive movements regarding access to the country. "We should build on this," Andersson opined. Andersson seemed to welcome U.S.-EU cooperation on this issue. On a side note, she mentioned to Post that on a visit to Burma three weeks ago, she was glad to have met with U.S. Charge Dinger in Rangoon. SILVERMAN