VZCZCXRO6104
OO RUEHBZ RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHGO #1145 3310246
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 270246Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY RANGOON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6896
INFO RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0738
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 4288
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 7829
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 5389
RUEHCHI/AMCONSUL CHIANG MAI 1261
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1188
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC

UNCLAS RANGOON 001145 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP/MLS, DRL, AND IO 
PACOM FOR FPA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM BM
SUBJECT: PROMOTING DEMOCRACY IN BURMA 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary.  Rangoon-based Western missions met on 
November 21 to discuss the U.S., UK, Australian, and German 
small grants programs.  Grants programs among the embassies 
focus either on infrastructure development or capacity 
building.  The French Cultural Counselor said that he hoped 
to lobby Paris for funding to initiate a small grants program 
based on what he learned from the meeting.  Christian Scheibe 
of the German Embassy recounted that the Ministry of 
Information had solicited funding from his embassy for a 
Ministry library project, a request which they refused.  End 
Summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) On November 21, the British Embassy hosted a lunch 
meeting on embassy small grants programs in Burma.  Diplomats 
from the German, Australian, French, and American embassies 
attended the meeting.  Grants programs among the embassies 
fell into two basic categories: infrastructure development 
and capacity building.  The French are currently working to 
gain approval for a program from Paris. 
 
¶3. (SBU) The Australian and German programs focus on 
infrastructure development.  Christian Scheibe of the German 
Embassy described the focus of his program as promoting 
livelihood development, building primary schools, and 
protecting the environment.  His total budget for the year is 
approximately USD 170,000, and he expects that amount to 
increase in the near future due to renewed German government 
interest in Burma.  Australia's Simon Harrison described his 
program as similar, although slightly smaller.  In the coming 
year, he expects to have approximately USD 100,000 to support 
local groups and NGOs in infrastructure development, such as 
dam building and school and orphanage renovation.  While his 
funds cover some costs of consultants and labor, he cannot 
pay for training. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) The British Embassy program, like our program, has 
focused in recent years on capacity building and promoting 
democracy.  This includes funding small library projects and 
training sessions in topics ranging from farm cultivation to 
democracy building.  British Public Diplomacy Officer 
Katherine Forsyth said that her total budget is approximately 
USD 80,000 per year, although she also expects that number to 
rise with increased interest in Burma. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) French Cultural Counselor Stephane Dovert is 
lobbying Paris to provide funding for a similar small grants 
program.  He hoped that the report to Paris he writes as a 
result of the meeting would encourage the French government 
to provide funding for such a program.  The French Ambassador 
told Charge that he has had difficulty persuading Paris of 
the need for extra funds for Burma, because France already 
contributes 17 percent of the EC assistance budget, which in 
Burma primarily goes to health. 
 
¶6. (SBU) After sharing information about the various 
programs, the group focused on library programs throughout 
the country.  Christian Scheibe said that the Ministry of 
Information had approached the German Embassy seeking funding 
for a library that it wanted to build.  The embassy, he said, 
refused to fund the project.  The U.S. and UK have not 
received such proposals for funding from the Ministry of 
Information. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Comment: Quiet information-sharing with other 
embassies implementing small grants programs in Burma is an 
effective way to share best practices.  Other embassies have 
been interested in our quiet success with small grants to 
promote democracy and civil society.  By taking the lead in 
showing what can be done, we hope to encourage broader 
assistance to civil society from a variety of sources.  This 
will help us stay under the radar while we thwart the Than 
Shwe regime's efforts to suppress civil society.  End 
Comment. 
VILLAROSA