Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09VIENTIANE227
2009-05-13 09:47:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Vientiane
Cable title:
DEMARCHE TO LAO MFA: URGING AUNG SAN SUU KYI'S
how-toVZCZCXRO4129 RR RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH DE RUEHVN #0227 1330947 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 130947Z MAY 09 FM AMEMBASSY VIENTIANE TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2577 INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L VIENTIANE 000227
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/MLS (EMERY AND SCHEIBE)
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/13/2019
TAGS: BM LA PGOV PHUM PREL
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE TO LAO MFA: URGING AUNG SAN SUU KYI'S
RELEASE
REF: SECSTATE 46562
Classified By: Ambassador Ravic Huso for reasons 1.4 (b and d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L VIENTIANE 000227
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/MLS (EMERY AND SCHEIBE)
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/13/2019
TAGS: BM LA PGOV PHUM PREL
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE TO LAO MFA: URGING AUNG SAN SUU KYI'S
RELEASE
REF: SECSTATE 46562
Classified By: Ambassador Ravic Huso for reasons 1.4 (b and d)
1. (SBU) A/DCM met with MFA ASEAN Department Deputy Director
General Kham-Inh Khitchadeth May 14 to deliver subject
demarche. Neither DDG Kham-Inh nor his Director General had
been available earlier in the week. By the time the meeting
took place, media reports had begun to circulate that Aung
Sang Suu Kyi had been taken to Insein Prison.
2. (C) DDG Kham-Inh first cited the difficulty of ASEAN
countries interfering in the internal affairs of other ASEAN
members but immediately went on to say that Laos has been
trying to play a positive role with Burma for a number of
years. He admitted Laos was in a "dilemma," with close
relations to Burma as well as being close to the
international community and the United States. Kham-Inh
cited the fact that Laos and the United States did not break
diplomatic relations in 1975 as Vietnam had -- and confirmed
Lao officials understand both the U.S. position regarding
Burma and ASSK and "the emotion" with which the United States
views this issue.
3. (C) Kham-Inh asked about U.S. views of a possible election
in Burma. A/DCM responded that any process to resolve the
future of Burma that did not include ASSK's participation
would not be credible to the international community.
Releasing her from house arrest at the end of May would be a
major step forward. Continuing the house arrest for another
year or moving her from house arrest to prison would be very
negative steps.
4. (C) DDG Kham-Inh noted that the 27-member ASEAN Regional
Forum (ARF) Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) would be held in
Phuket, Thailand, May 18-20. He predicted many countries
will raise the issue of ASSK's future at the SOM. Kham-Inh
also pointed out that the ten ASEAN countries would likely
discuss the situation at a pre-SOM coordinating meeting. He
promised to share the discussion within the ASEAN
coordinating meeting with the U.S. delegation to the SOM.
HUSO
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/MLS (EMERY AND SCHEIBE)
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/13/2019
TAGS: BM LA PGOV PHUM PREL
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE TO LAO MFA: URGING AUNG SAN SUU KYI'S
RELEASE
REF: SECSTATE 46562
Classified By: Ambassador Ravic Huso for reasons 1.4 (b and d)
1. (SBU) A/DCM met with MFA ASEAN Department Deputy Director
General Kham-Inh Khitchadeth May 14 to deliver subject
demarche. Neither DDG Kham-Inh nor his Director General had
been available earlier in the week. By the time the meeting
took place, media reports had begun to circulate that Aung
Sang Suu Kyi had been taken to Insein Prison.
2. (C) DDG Kham-Inh first cited the difficulty of ASEAN
countries interfering in the internal affairs of other ASEAN
members but immediately went on to say that Laos has been
trying to play a positive role with Burma for a number of
years. He admitted Laos was in a "dilemma," with close
relations to Burma as well as being close to the
international community and the United States. Kham-Inh
cited the fact that Laos and the United States did not break
diplomatic relations in 1975 as Vietnam had -- and confirmed
Lao officials understand both the U.S. position regarding
Burma and ASSK and "the emotion" with which the United States
views this issue.
3. (C) Kham-Inh asked about U.S. views of a possible election
in Burma. A/DCM responded that any process to resolve the
future of Burma that did not include ASSK's participation
would not be credible to the international community.
Releasing her from house arrest at the end of May would be a
major step forward. Continuing the house arrest for another
year or moving her from house arrest to prison would be very
negative steps.
4. (C) DDG Kham-Inh noted that the 27-member ASEAN Regional
Forum (ARF) Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) would be held in
Phuket, Thailand, May 18-20. He predicted many countries
will raise the issue of ASSK's future at the SOM. Kham-Inh
also pointed out that the ten ASEAN countries would likely
discuss the situation at a pre-SOM coordinating meeting. He
promised to share the discussion within the ASEAN
coordinating meeting with the U.S. delegation to the SOM.
HUSO