SPECIAL ADVISOR GAMBARI BRIEFS AMBASSADOR RICE ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 000056 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/28/2019 TAGS: PREL PGOV UNSC BM SUBJECT: SPECIAL ADVISOR GAMBARI BRIEFS AMBASSADOR RICE ON UPCOMING TRAVEL TO BURMA Classified By: Ambassador Rice for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Ambassador Rice spoke by phone on January 28 with the Secretary-General's Special Advisor on Burma, Ibrahim Gambari, who departs today for a trip to Burma. During the brief, friendly call, Gambari told Ambassador Rice that he is hopeful but not certain he will have meetings with senior military leaders, including Senior General Than Shwe, and Aung Sun Suu Kyi (ASSK) during the visit. He said he would press his five-point plan during his trip. (Note: Gambari's five-point plan includes: 1) release of political prisoners, including ASSK; 2) the need for an all-inclusive, substantive, time-bound dialogue; 3) the need for a credible political transition process to civilian and democratic government; 4) avenues for improving socio-economic conditions and; 5) ways to regularize the good offices process between Burma and the UN. End Note.) Gambari commented that his trip is a "stock-taking mission," however, and added that he hopes to avoid a divided Security Council (to which he will report upon his return),as that gives the generals "an easy way out." ¶2. (C) Ambassador Rice emphasized that leaders of the U.S. Congress and the Administration remain actively interested in the issue, and stressed that the United States continues to seek tangible progress on the release of political prisoners, and dialogue with ASSK. In response to Gambari's suggestion that Secretary-General Ban is considering travel to Burma, Ambassador Rice remarked that Ban should travel only if there is concrete progress, which should be clear in the wake of Gambari's trip. Gambari agreed and told Ambassador Rice that he would brief her upon his return. Rice