VZCZCXRO8312
OO RUEHBZ RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUCNDT #1203/01 3551809
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 211809Z DEC 07
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3405
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS PRIORITY
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY 1776
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 1967
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 8404

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 USUN NEW YORK 001203 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PHUM UNSC BM
SUBJECT: SYG BAN CONVENES FIRST GROUP OF FRIENDS MEETING 
 
REF: SECSTATE 168400 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  UN Secretary-General Ban convened the 
first meeting of the Group of Friends on Burma December 19. 
Participants included the P-5, Australia, India, Indonesia, 
Japan, Norway, Singapore, Portugal, Thailand, and Vietnam, as 
well as UN Under-Secretary for Political Affairs Lynn Pascoe 
and UN Special Adviser on Burma Ibrahim Gambari.  During the 
meeting, Ban called for patience but stressed that Gambari's 
efforts must also yield results.  He recommended that the 
Group of Friends be "consultative in nature."   Gambari 
called on the regime to release or relax restrictions for 
Aung Sun Suu Kyi (ASSK) to allow her to participate in 
dialogue. 
 
¶2. (SBU) (Summary cont.) Participants echoed familiar 
national positions.  The EU announced a pledge of USD 740,000 
to support Gambari's mission, including additional staffing. 
In his concluding summary of the group's discussion, Gambari 
expressed appreciation for broad support for his mandate and 
asked the group to identify proposals for discussion among 
the Group of Friends on the way forward in Burma.  Gambari 
rebuffed an Indonesian request, supported by China, for a 
Burmese presence in the Group of Friends, offering instead 
that, by invitation, a Burmese representative could on 
occasion address the group.  In closing, Gambari echoed Ban's 
statement that to achieve results the international community 
must demonstrate unity of purpose.  End Summary. 
 
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UN Lead 
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¶3. (SBU) Ban, with Gambari by his side, chaired a 
free-wheeling discussion during the December 19 inaugural 
meeting of the Group of Friends on Burma.  Ban stressed that 
the good offices mission is part of a process that requires 
patience but must also yield results.  He asked that the 
Group of Friends be "consultative in nature" and facilitate 
Burma's path into the international community instead of 
isolating the country.  Gambari stated baldly that the regime 
must release or relax restrictions for Aung Sun Suu Kyi 
(ASSK) to allow her to participate in dialogue.  He also said 
the regime must release all those detained, broaden the 
National Convention, open the Constitutional Drafting 
Committee, and address the socioeconomic issues in the 
country.  Both Ban and Gambari underscored the utility of 
"unity of purpose."  Gambari rebuffed an Indonesian effort 
supported by China to include Burma in the Group. 
 
--- 
P-5 
--- 
 
¶4. (SBU)  Ambassador Khalilzad pointed out that the regime 
had made little progress on basic requests outlined in the 
October 11 Security Council Presidential Statement.  It is 
clear the regime is backsliding and momentum is flagging, he 
said.  He suggested that a discussion on the consequences of 
lack of progress will be as important as talk of incentives, 
as the Group of Friends works together to energize the effort 
and maintain momentum for change in Burma.  UK PR Sawers 
emphasized that change in Burma would generate benefits, 
which should be made clear to Burmese authorities, but that 
there were "conditions" and there would be "no reward for 
token steps."  French PR Ripert stressed the need for a 
concrete debate on specific proposals, and requested more 
information on the proposed Poverty Alleviation Commission. 
Russian DPR Dolgov offered support for the group "as long as 
the group is helpful."  He cautioned against placing too many 
conditions on the Burmese and urged the group to focus on 
engagement rather than punishment.  Dolgov admitted, however, 
that the pace was "not satisfactory" and the "regularity (for 
progress) was not there."  China, represented by its 
political coordinator Li Junhua, reaffirmed China's 
commitment to Gambari and the good offices mission, and 
offered China's assistance to Gambari during his upcoming 
visit "in early January."  Li requested Burma's 
representation in the group to ensure the forum served as a 
"group of friends." He also pressed for "engagement instead 
of punishment" of Burma, and raised the complexity of the 
situation and the regime's four-decade isolation. 
 
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ASEAN 
------ 
 
¶5. (SBU) On behalf of ASEAN, Singapore PR Menon reiterated 
 
USUN NEW Y 00001203  002 OF 002 
 
 
Burma's request to "deal with the UN above anyone else."  He 
commented that the group should not make demands to 
complicate the issue but should offer realistic targets.  He 
repeated previous statements that Gambari and his good 
offices mission is the "only game in town."  Indonesian PR 
Natalegawa requested that the UN invite a Burmese 
representative to the group, reasoning that the group 
represented a wide spectrum of countries and that its purpose 
was to support Burma on its path to national reconciliation. 
Vietnamese PR Minh advocated for a long-term, comprehensive 
approach, which required patience in "bringing Burma back to 
the fold."  The people of Burma are ultimately responsible 
for the future of Burma, he said.  Thai PR Pramudwinai 
commented that a Burmese representative would have his "eyes 
open with glee" to see the broad support generated by the 
Group of Friends.  As a neighbor, he also stressed the 
importance of patience and perseverance in dealing with Burma. 
 
--------------------------- 
Other Members of the Group 
--------------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) On behalf of the EU, Portuguese PR Salgueiro pledged 
USD 740,000 for additional staffing for Gambari and the good 
offices mission.  Japanese PR Takasu remarked that the UN 
must coordinate carefully among the many UN efforts in Burma. 
 He welcomed frequent visits by Gambari and stressed that 
bilateral efforts with Burma should be coordinated with the 
good offices mission.  Indian PR Sen said that India has 
pushed the Burmese at the highest levels for national 
reconciliation and progress.  He offered Indian support for 
the "carrot and stick" approach and emphasized the Poverty 
Alleviation Commission as an important tool for change in 
Burma.  PR Sen added, however, that international financial 
institutions were not in a good position to offer incentives 
since "they were responsible for the fuel crisis" but the 
idea was good, he added.  PR Sen also drew a parallel between 
ASSK and Ghandi, commenting that Ghandi was able to 
participate fully in dialogue while under restrictions and 
implying that ASSK was in a similar situation.  We should 
continue to press for reform even if restrictions on ASSK are 
not lifted, he continued.  (Note:  In a subsequent discussion 
Indian Political Counselor told USUN expert that the 
Government of India believed ASSK must be released to 
participate fully in dialogue.  PR Sen had "gone off the 
cuff," he said, and misrepresented India's position.) 
Australian and Norwegian PRs also delivered supportive 
remarks. 
 
¶7. Comment.  The first meeting of the Group of Friends was 
generally uneventful.  Secretary-General Ban's participation 
made clear the level of importance imparted to the group by 
the UN.  It also gave SYG Ban and Gambari the opportunity to 
outline UN expectations for the group.  In the discussion 
that followed, however, each member broadly supported Gambari 
and the good offices mission and repeated well-established 
national positions.  There was little interaction and no 
dialogue.  Both SYG Ban and Gambari requested active 
participation as well as proposals for consideration in 
upcoming meetings.  If members engage in the informal 
dialogue proposed by Ban, this will be a good opportunity to 
explore next steps for progress in Burma. 
Khalilzad