CHARGE DINGER CONSULTS WITH UN ON BURMA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 USUN NEW YORK 000296

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PREL UNSC BM
SUBJECT: CHARGE DINGER CONSULTS WITH UN ON BURMA

REF: RANGOON 164


1. (SBU) Summary. U.S. Charge to Rangoon Larry Dinger met
with UN Special Advisor Gambari and representatives from the
UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR),Office for the
Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA),UN Development
Program (UNDP) and the Open Society Institute (OSI) during
his March 16 consultations in New York. Discussions included
SYG Ban's possible trip to Burma and UNHCR, OCHA, and UNDP's
thoughts on expanding their assistance programs in Burma.
End Summary.

Gambari


2. (SBU) In a March 16 meeting with U.S. Charge to Burma
Larry Dinger, UN Special Advisor Gambari stressed that while
the Security Council and the Group of Friends share long-term
objectives for Burma, there is no shared approach. He said
the Chinese argue that the regime's roadmap ensures
stability. Gambari said he argues the opposite, adding that
only an inclusive process will ensure stability -- a
principle Gambari claims could motivate the Chinese to
pressure the regime, particularly as elections approach.
Gambari said Secretary General Ban has accepted UK advice
that he should visit Burma soon; however, Ban realizes the
trip would require careful preparation, agreement on
"expectations" and appropriate timing. Gambari told the
Charge that the Burmese junta hopes to delay a visit from
Ban, suggesting that the regime might be considering what it
could offer or might be waiting for the U.S. to complete its
policy review. Gambari wanted Washington to be aware of the
latter possibility.

UNHCR and OCHA


3. (SBU) UNHCR Senior Policy Advisor Brian Gorlick told
Dinger that High Commissioner Guterres "saw everything he
needed to see" on his trip to Burma and characterized the
visit as a success. He echoed post's report (ref) regarding
the expansion of UNHCR activities in Northern Rakhine State.
While the plan lacks specifics, the GOB indicated willingness
for UN agencies to address a number of important grassroots
issues. Gorlick acknowledged that the devil would be in the
details. Gorlick said the UNHCR remains in a "reasonably
healthy" financial position for operations in the country,
but noted that if the operations are expanded to cover
growing needs of vulnerable populations, UNHCR will have to
seek further donor funding. He said that the Burmese
extended an invitation to work in the southeast portion of
the country and UNHCR is developing a proposal for programs
in this region.


4. (SBU) Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
(OCHA) Officer Ivan Lupis commented on the usefulness of
expanding the humanitarian space created in the post-Nargis
delta outward, particularly into NRS, home of the Rohingyas.
However, he noted resistance to expanding the Tripartite Core
Group (TCG) mandate from some ASEAN members, specifically
Singapore, which sees the TCG as specifically created for
cyclone disaster relief. Lupis said UN sources in Rangoon
report the regime intends to make the visa process "more
cumbersome" by compelling international NGOs to report on
what they've accomplished, what they plan to do, and provide
a list of who will be working on projects. Visa applications
could take 1 to 2 months under the proposed regime.

UNDP


5. (SBU) UNDP Deputy Assistant Administrator for Asia Liagia
Elizondo noted that the UNDP Executive Board (of which the
U.S. is a member) restricts the scope of activity and
resources for Burma. For the current 2008-2010 program, UNDP
can employ up to $25 million in regular/core resources and
another $25 million in non-core resources (earmarked
contributions to UNDP); the scope of the program is limited
to human development activities, and UNDP is prohibited from
working directly with the Burma Government. UNDP intends to
ask the Board to allow it to spend up to an additional $55
million in non-core resources during 2008-2010.


6. (SBU) Elizondo said UNDP is interested in expanding its
Burma program into areas such as livelihoods, food security,
micro finance, disaster risk reduction, governance, and other
MDG related activities. These areas would require some UNDP
cooperation with the Burmese Government at least at the
village and township levels. While there would be political
sensitivities for Burma and donors alike, Elizondo argued
that UNDP has experience in dealing with such matters, and it
is important to plant seeds for a democratic future. That
could be done by degrees, starting "under the radar."

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According to Elizondo, Capitol Hill staffer Paul Grove
recently met with UNDP Director of the Bureau for Asia and
the Pacific Ajay Chibber and gave the impression that there
might now be better Congressional support for some expansion
of the scope of the UNDP Burma program.

Open Society Institute


7. (SBU) Director of the OSI Burma Project Maureen Aung Thwin
told Charge Dinger that OSI is convening a Burma donor's
forum in New York shortly to identify challenges, discuss the
way forward, and coordinate grants to avoid (where possible)
"double dipping." Governmental donors are not invited. She
said the group normally meets every 18 months but bases
meetings on need rather than timing. The donors last met in
November. She said OSI's specific budget for Burma doubled
as a result of Cyclone Nargis and totals USD 2 million. For
some projects OSI also dips into the Southeast Asia and other
pots. She noted reports that Senior General Than Shwe
suggested to Indonesian President Yudhoyono a concern about
being brought before a "tribunal" if democracy were to come
to Burma. Aung Thwin offered several possibilities for
increased engagement, which she favors, including official
cultural exchanges and scholarship programs. She recommended
quietly engaging to learn what is possible in exchange for
lifting sa
nctions, which she believes are effective for the most part,
"or why would the regime always ask for them to be lifted?"


8. (SBU) Charge d'Affaires to Burma Larry Dinger has reviewed
this cable.
WOLFF