Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
10CANBERRA104
2010-02-12 05:35:00
CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN
Embassy Canberra
Cable title:
AUSTRALIA INCREASES AID TO BURMA, MAINTAINS
how-toVZCZCXRO1909 OO RUEHAG RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHROV RUEHSL RUEHSR DE RUEHBY #0104 0430535 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 120535Z FEB 10 FM AMEMBASSY CANBERRA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2642 INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 9740 RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 1593 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 1232 RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 0014 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 3826 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0871 RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
C O N F I D E N T I A L CANBERRA 000104
NOFORN
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/12/2020
TAGS: PREL PGOV BM AS
SUBJECT: AUSTRALIA INCREASES AID TO BURMA, MAINTAINS
SANCTIONS
Classified By: Political and Economic Counselor Edgard Kagan for Reason
s 1.4 (b/d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L CANBERRA 000104
NOFORN
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/12/2020
TAGS: PREL PGOV BM AS
SUBJECT: AUSTRALIA INCREASES AID TO BURMA, MAINTAINS
SANCTIONS
Classified By: Political and Economic Counselor Edgard Kagan for Reason
s 1.4 (b/d)
1. (C/NF) Summary: Australia will increase its humanitarian
and development assistance to Burma by about forty percent
over the next three years to roughly USD 40 million. The aid
increase is the only major change resulting from Australia's
just completed Burma policy review. Australia's current
level of targeted financial sanctions will be maintained.
Foreign Minster Smith presented the policy review's
conclusions to parliament on 8 February 2010. In September
2009 Australia welcomed the conclusions of the U.S. Burma
policy review and continues to believe that a combination of
engagement, sanctions and assistance is the best way forward.
End Summary.
AID INCREASE
--------------
2. (C/NF) Australia currently provides roughly 27 million USD
per year in assistance to Burma. The aid funds campaigns to
help children go to school, programs to combat infectious
diseases and provides food and agricultural expertise to
fight rural poverty. The stepped up funding - a three year,
forty percent increase to 40 million USD annually - will
continue to support these efforts, but will also focus on
capacity building in areas such as primary healthcare,
education and teacher training and small enterprise
development. Australia will continue to deliver assistance
in partnership with UN agencies, ASEAN, international NGOs
and other donor countries.
STATUS QUO ON SANCTIONS
--------------
3. (C/NF) Like the United States, Australia agrees that
easing sanctions now would send the wrong signal. Jeannie
Henderson, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Burma desk
director, said the Australians see a tiny opening in the
recent discussions between Aung San Suu Kyi and the Burmese
authorities, and therefore determined not to impose new
sanctions either. This decision came despite the fact that
Australia had identified several new individuals who could be
targeted for sanctions.
4. (C/NF) Comment: Australia continues to be an active
partner and close U.S. ally in efforts to introduce
democratic reform in Burma. In September 2009 the
Australians welcomed the conclusions of the U.S. Burma policy
review and continue to believe that a combination of
engagement, sanctions and assistance is the best way forward.
Canberra is under no illusions about the difficulty of the
task before the international community in dealing with
Burma. End Comment.
BLEICH
NOFORN
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/12/2020
TAGS: PREL PGOV BM AS
SUBJECT: AUSTRALIA INCREASES AID TO BURMA, MAINTAINS
SANCTIONS
Classified By: Political and Economic Counselor Edgard Kagan for Reason
s 1.4 (b/d)
1. (C/NF) Summary: Australia will increase its humanitarian
and development assistance to Burma by about forty percent
over the next three years to roughly USD 40 million. The aid
increase is the only major change resulting from Australia's
just completed Burma policy review. Australia's current
level of targeted financial sanctions will be maintained.
Foreign Minster Smith presented the policy review's
conclusions to parliament on 8 February 2010. In September
2009 Australia welcomed the conclusions of the U.S. Burma
policy review and continues to believe that a combination of
engagement, sanctions and assistance is the best way forward.
End Summary.
AID INCREASE
--------------
2. (C/NF) Australia currently provides roughly 27 million USD
per year in assistance to Burma. The aid funds campaigns to
help children go to school, programs to combat infectious
diseases and provides food and agricultural expertise to
fight rural poverty. The stepped up funding - a three year,
forty percent increase to 40 million USD annually - will
continue to support these efforts, but will also focus on
capacity building in areas such as primary healthcare,
education and teacher training and small enterprise
development. Australia will continue to deliver assistance
in partnership with UN agencies, ASEAN, international NGOs
and other donor countries.
STATUS QUO ON SANCTIONS
--------------
3. (C/NF) Like the United States, Australia agrees that
easing sanctions now would send the wrong signal. Jeannie
Henderson, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Burma desk
director, said the Australians see a tiny opening in the
recent discussions between Aung San Suu Kyi and the Burmese
authorities, and therefore determined not to impose new
sanctions either. This decision came despite the fact that
Australia had identified several new individuals who could be
targeted for sanctions.
4. (C/NF) Comment: Australia continues to be an active
partner and close U.S. ally in efforts to introduce
democratic reform in Burma. In September 2009 the
Australians welcomed the conclusions of the U.S. Burma policy
review and continue to believe that a combination of
engagement, sanctions and assistance is the best way forward.
Canberra is under no illusions about the difficulty of the
task before the international community in dealing with
Burma. End Comment.
BLEICH