VZCZCXRO5922
OO RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHPF #1050/01 1531054
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 021054Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6802
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 1465

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PHNOM PENH 001050 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/MLS, DRL 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/02/2016 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL CB
SUBJECT: CAMBODIA'S NATIONAL ASSEMBLY TO ANNOUNCE FORMATION 
OF BURMA CAUCUS 
 
 
Classified By: A/DCM Margaret McKean, Reason 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
 ¶1.  (SBU)  Summary.  Recent meetings with members of the 
National Assembly's Commission on Foreign Affairs suggests 
the Cambodian body is prepared to announce in early September 
the formation of a Burma Caucus comprised of MPs from the 
ruling CPP, FUNCINPEC and opposition Sam Rainsy Party.  As a 
result of meetings with Prime Minister Hun Sen and NA 
President Heng Samrin, SRP lawmaker (and head of the 
Commission on Foreign Affairs) Son Chhay will travel to 
Jakarta June 18-19 to discuss the launching of the Cambodian 
NA's Burma Caucus with the ASEAN Inter-Parliament Myanmar 
Caucus (AIPMC).  Son Chhay would like to expand the 
inauguration of the Caucus with a one-day conference on 
Burma, and is seeking donor support for this initiative. 
Cambodia is the last of the six ASEAN member states of AIPMC 
to launch a Caucus, and the Cambodian legislature's first 
endeavor at addressing a non-domestic issue.  We have worked 
hard to encourage Cambodian activism on human rights and 
democracy in Burma -- including during recent high-level 
State Department visits -- and believe support for the 
conference -- if needed -- is worthy of our consideration. 
End Summary. 
 
Prime Minister, CPP Support National Assembly Burma Caucus 
--------------------------------------------- ------------- 
 
¶2.  (C)  Recent meetings with SRP parliamentarian Son Chhay, 
who is head of the National Assembly's Commission on Foreign 
Affairs, and the Commission's Vice Chairman, Un Ning (a CPP 
representative), indicate that there is RGC agreement from 
both the Prime Minister as well as National Assembly 
President Heng Samrin that the National Assembly form a Burma 
Caucus comprised of MPs from the three political parties 
(CPP, FUNCINPEC, SRP) represented in the NA.  The 
inauguration date is tentatively scheduled for early 
September.  Son Chhay met with Prime Minister Hun Sen on May 
23 when the PM visited the National Assembly during the vote 
for the new Labor Minister.  In discussing the proposed Burma 
Caucus, the PM reportedly mentioned that EAP DAS Eric John 
had met with the PM and urged Cambodia to play a stronger 
role in pushing for democratic reform in Burma.  The PM added 
that he might include a stop in Rangoon during an upcoming 
visit to India.  Son Chhay also related that the PM indicated 
that Cambodia needs time to consider how best to deal with 
Burma, but that a National Assembly role is a good start. 
The PM gave his full support for the formation of the Burma 
Caucus through the Commission on Foreign Affairs.  He further 
agreed to meet with ASEAN parliamentarians who come to Phnom 
Penh for the launch of the Caucus in September.  According to 
Son Chhay, the PM wants Son Chhay to promote within AIPMC the 
PM's suggestion that the ASEAN Troika visit Rangoon. 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  When asked how many people might come from around 
the region for the inauguration of the Caucus, Son Chhay said 
it would depend on the budget.  He plans to visit AIPMC 
headquarters in Jakarta June 18-19 to discuss Cambodia's 
plans to launch a Burma Caucus, see what budgetary support 
AIPMC might offer, as well as programming suggestions.  The 
SRP legislator anticipates that FUNCINPEC MP Than Sina and 
CPP MP (and Commission Vice Chair) Un Ning are likely to 
accompany him, but funding is an issue.  National Assembly 
President Heng Samrin has approved NA budget funds to support 
the Caucus launch, but sending the three MPs to AIPMC in 
Malaysia may not be possible, and only Son Chhay may go. 
 
¶4.  (C)  In a separate meeting with Un Ning, the CPP MP told 
A/DCM that the idea of a Burma Caucus is completely new to 
the National Assembly and the CPP.  Burma has never been 
raised within the NA nor within the CPP, he noted.  Un Ning 
said that he personally supported democracy in Burma and the 
release of Aung San Suu Kyi, but up until recently, Cambodia 
has joined with Laos and Vietnam to protect Burma.  In the 
past, the CPP and Prince Ranariddh did not allow their MPs to 
go to Kuala Lumpur for AIPMC meetings, even though Cambodia 
was a member.  The Prime Minister's recent interest in Burma 
has been the key to the change in policy, which Un Ning 
welcomes.  Un Ning added that some CPP lawmakers are 
reluctant to support democracy in Burma as they feel it will 
lead to instability.  A/DCM assured Un Ning that the USG 
supports a peaceful democratic reform program in Burma.  Un 
Ning noted that it has been difficult for Cambodia to break 
old ties with its former communist allies in Laos and 
Vietnam.  He concluded that Cambodia moves further away from 
both countries as it moves closer to the United States. 
 
¶5.  (C)  In discussing his meeting with Un Ning and NA 
President Heng Samrin following A/DCM's meeting with Un Ning, 
Son Chhay noted that both CPP officials worried about 
 
PHNOM PENH 00001050  002 OF 002 
 
 
Cambodia's image and the reaction by others in ASEAN when 
Cambodia makes the announcement regarding the Caucus.  He 
said that assured both men that within AIPMC, Cambodia is the 
last country to establish its own national Caucus within its 
parliamentary body, and Cambodia will adhere to policy 
positions regarding Burma already staked out by ASEAN. 
Nevertheless, Heng Samrin noted that Cambodia has not taken 
positions regarding ASEAN members' internal affairs not has 
the National Assembly pursued an issue outside Cambodia's 
domestic politics.  Son Chhay said that the establishment of 
the Caucus is a very new concept to old line CPP members, as 
is the idea of working across party lines with the SRP.  The 
SRP MP believes that the Caucus will provide a useful working 
model for CPP-SRP cooperation within the National Assembly, 
noting that Un Ning was surprised about the amount of 
latitude Sam Rainsy provides to Son Chhay to make decisions 
on such issues. 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  Son Chhay asked if the Embassy might be able to 
help provide support to a one-day conference on Burma 
following the inauguration of the Burma Caucus in September. 
There is no budget yet as Son Chhay is uncertain how much he 
might be able to get from the National Assembly as well as 
AIPMC.  He met with the German Ambassador earlier in the 
week, and the German diplomat reportedly expressed interest 
in the proposed conference.  Son Chhay said he would also 
appreciate any suggestions the U.S. Embassy in Rangoon might 
have regarding invitees from the Burmese government, the 
exile community, and specialists on Burma currently working 
in the country. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶7.  (C)  At this stage, it is too early to assess if USG 
funding/support will be requested or needed.  USG assistance 
to a conference on Burma would lessen the impact of an 
ASEAN-driven initiative, and our preference would be that 
other means be found to assist the Cambodians in this 
endeavor.  However, once we have a clear idea that this 
proposal is moving forward -- and the National Assembly 
requests outside financial support and assistance -- we might 
consider indirect ways to help should a lack of financing 
lead to the proposed conference not taking place.  We will 
confer with our German colleagues regarding potential funding 
from the EU, and note that in 2005, the European Institute 
for Asian Studies organized a three-day meeting involving 
Members of European Parliament and AIPMC members.  We welcome 
any suggestions Embassy Rangoon has related to Son Chhay's 
request in para. 6.  End Comment. 
 
STORELLA