VZCZCXYZ0008
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHC #3358 2701915
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O P 261911Z SEP 08
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 3219
INFO RUEHGO/AMEMBASSY RANGOON PRIORITY 7583

UNCLAS STATE 103358 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PHUM BM
SUBJECT: GUIDANCE FOR SYG FRIENDS OF BURMA MEETING, 
SEPTEMBER 27 
 
REFS: A) STATE 97116 
      B) USUN NEW YORK 829 
 
¶1. (U)  This is an action request.  USUN is instructed to draw 
from the following talking points during the September 27 meeting 
of the "Group of Friends of the Secretary General on Burma." 
 
¶2. (U) Begin points, to be supplemented as appropriate from 
background in para 3 and refetls. 
 
On behalf of the United States, I would like to thank Secretary 
General Ban for holding this meeting today. I am pleased that 
many distinguished Foreign Ministers were able to join us this 
morning. 
 
The international community must be fully engaged in its efforts 
to assist the Burmese people and we welcome the SYG's personal 
interest in this critical topic and strongly support his "good 
offices" mission. 
 
The Security Council has repeatedly made clear that the common 
goal of true friends of Burma is the release of all political 
prisoners including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and genuine, time-bound 
dialogue leading to democratization.  While we are pleased by the 
recent release of Win Tin and several other political prisoners, 
we must ensure that this not an isolated step, but instead a 
first step in a process that results in the release of all two 
thousand political prisoners that are unjustly being held. 
 
We are gravely concerned by the continuing pattern of violence 
and the arrest and imprisonment of individuals whose only crime 
is the free expression of opinion.  We all remember the actions 
by the regime a year ago when it brutally repressed peaceful 
protesters seeking democracy in their country and we are deeply 
dismayed to see the regime again round up activists this year, in 
fear of more of their citizens peacefully taking to the streets. 
 
There is no legitimate reason for the regime to engage in their 
repressive tactics, nor is there legitimate reason for the regime 
to ignore the calls of the United Nations and many others 
throughout the world.  We look to the regime to release 
immediately and unconditionally all political prisoners and to 
immediately begin a genuine, transparent, and inclusive dialogue 
with all democratic and ethnic minority groups with the support 
of the United Nations.  Engaging in a substantive dialogue with 
representatives from a cross section of Burmese society is the 
only way Burma will move towards national reconciliation and 
become a functional member of the international community. 
 
Burma needs to take concrete steps towards becoming a stable and 
free society, and to fulfilling its obligations to the UNSC.  It 
is our task to continue to push them in that direction.  However, 
the Burmese regime has shown its back to the United Nations, 
rebuffing Mr. Gambari's work on the critical aspects of his 
mandate. Those who hold the power and make the decisions in Burma 
have refused to meet with him. 
 
The Secretary General, the UNSC, and we as an international 
community, must hold the regime to account for its lack of 
compliance with the calls of the United Nations Security Council. 
In the face of repeated and outright defiance to the good efforts 
of the United Nations, we must now begin to consider steps that 
will lead to a more stable and free Burma. 
 
We encourage the Secretary General to continue his active 
involvement and to consider visiting the region when 
circumstances permit. 
 
(End points) 
 
----------- 
Background 
----------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) Following a series of informal briefings to the P5 and 
with the blessing of the UNSC President, UN Special Advisor 
Ibrahim Gambari formally briefed the UNSC September 11 and the 
"Group of Friends on Burma" September 12 in regard to his recent 
fourth mission to Burma (August 18-23)  In these meetings, 
Gambari highlighted a "marked improvement" in the regime's 
willingness to engage, as well as progress on peripheral issues. 
In response to remarks emphasizing the serious lack of progress 
on core issues (U.S., UK, France, Belgium, Croatia, Italy, Costa 
Rica), SYG Ban stated bluntly that Gambari's trip was not a 
failure, before stressing that only "giving up hope" is a 
failure.  (Ref B) 
RICE