VZCZCXRO0401
PP RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH RUEHTRO
DE RUEHGO #0138/01 0640703
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 050703Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY RANGOON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8742
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 1829
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 5303
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 8903
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 6476
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 4314
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2297
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 RANGOON 000138 
 
STATE FOR EAP AND IO; PACOM FOR FPA 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM SNAR BM
SUBJECT: Burma: GOB Publicly Criticizes U.S. Human Rights and 
Narcotics Reports 
 
¶1. (U) On March 5, the state-run New Light of Myanmar newspaper 
published two announcements by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
criticizing the USG's recently-released Human Rights Report (HRR) 
and International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR).  The 
MFA statement on the HRR "categorically rejects the biased 
assessment on the human rights situation" and stresses what it 
describes as the GOB's "cooperation with the United Nations in many 
fields including the promotion of human rights."  The separate 
statement on the INCSR also "categorically reject[s]" the report's 
conclusion that Burma has "failed demonstrably" to meet its counter 
narcotics obligations.  The statement lists GOB actions to combat 
drugs and claims that its efforts were "carried out with little or 
no external assistance" and that "sincere efforts have not received 
the full acknowledgement they deserve."  Such official denunciations 
of USG reports are not uncommon.  Full text of the statements 
appears below: 
 
¶2. (U)  Begin text of MFA announcement on the HRR: 
 
The United States Department of State released on 25th February 2009 
its 2008 Country Report on Human Rights Practices of over 190 
countries, including Myanmar. As in the past, the report repeated 
its unfounded and unsubstantiated allegations of human rights 
violations in Myanmar. 
 
It is saddening to find that the report contained the usual sweeping 
accusations of human rights abuses in Myanmar without verification 
of the validity and accuracy of the information and reliability of 
its sources. Instead of making false allegations at other nations 
regarding human rights matters, the United States should concentrate 
on uplifting its own human rights records. 
 
Myanmar has long been a victim of a systematic disinformation 
campaign launched by anti-government elements, generously funded by 
their foreign supporters. The rootless allegations of human rights 
violations which invariably emanated from anti-government elements 
have found their way into the reports of the US State Department. 
Thus, there is a need to verify all information before it is judged 
fit for inclusion in official reports. 
 
Myanmar believes that the promotion and protection of human rights 
should be conducted in conformity with the purposes and principles 
of the Charter and international law. Human Rights issues must be 
addressed based on cardinal principles of objectivity, respect for 
national sovereignty and territorial integrity and non-interference 
in the internal affairs of States. There should be no double 
standards or politicization of human rights issues. It is only 
cooperation, rather than politicization of human rights that can 
bring about improvement in human rights situations around the world. 
 
 
Pursuant to its Foreign Policy, Myanmar has been cooperating with 
the United Nations in many fields including promotion of human 
rights. Myanmar has welcomed the visits of the Special Envoy of the 
Secretary-General of the United Nations Mr. Ibrahim Gambari for a 
total of seven times. Likewise, the current Human Rights Rapporteur 
for Myanmar, Thomas Ojea Quintana has already visited Myanmar twice 
since his appointment last year. The Supplementary Understanding on 
the Treatment of Complaints regarding Forced Labour between the 
Government of the Union of Myanmar and the ILO was also extended 
again on 26 February 2009. 
 
Like other developing countries, Myanmar accords high priority to 
the right to development. It has been striving for the all-round 
development of the country, paying attention to narrowing the gap 
between urban and rural areas, especially the border areas where the 
majority of the ethnic nationalities reside. The report ignored such 
positive developments taking place in the area of promoting the 
right to development of the people in Myanmar. 
 
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Union of Myanmar therefore 
categorically rejects the biased assessment on the human rights 
situations in Myanmar contained in the United States Department of 
State's 2008 Country Report on Human Rights Practices. 
 
RANGOON 00000138  002 OF 003 
 
 
 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
Nay Pyi Taw 
Dated: 4 March 2009 
 
End text. 
 
¶3.  (U)  Begin text of MFA announcement on the INCSR: 
 
The US Department of State on 27 February 2009 released an 
International Narcotics Control Strategy Report on over 100 
countries, including Myanmar. The report has groundlessly identified 
Myanmar as one of the three countries in the world that had "failed 
demonstrably" to meet its international counter narcotics 
obligations. It is regrettable that such an unfair categorization 
was made, ignoring Myanmar's strenuous efforts in combating narcotic 
drugs. 
 
Myanmar has been waging a relentless war against illicit narcotic 
drugs for decades. A comprehensive 15-year National Plan was laid 
down in 1999. Myanmar's national efforts against the drug problem 
are based on two strategies: (1) eradication of narcotic drugs as a 
national task and (2) total eradication of opium poppy cultivation 
through the promotion of living standards of all the national races 
residing in the border areas where opium poppy was cultivated. These 
strategies are supported by three tactics: to reduce supply of 
drugs, to reduce demand and to increase enforcement measures. 
 
Amphetamine-type stimulants pose a new and ominous threat because 
they are extremely easy to produce. The best way to counter this 
threat is to deny the traffickers of precursor chemicals required in 
the production of these drugs. Myanmar neither produces nor imports 
any precursor chemicals. 
 
At the regional level, Myanmar is working together with other 
members of ASEAN to reach its common goal of making the region free 
from drugs by 2015. Myanmar has signed a Memorandum of Understanding 
with six countries for the creation of a Greater Mekong Sub-Region 
Drug-Free Zone. Myanmar aims to rid the country of narcotic drugs by 
2014, one year ahead of the date set by ASEAN. 
 
The problem of drugs is closely linked to transnational crimes 
including terrorism. It is a global problem which can only be 
addressed through close international cooperation. National efforts 
must be complemented by cooperative efforts both at the regional and 
international levels. 
 
The allegations of money-laundering leveled against Myanmar are also 
unfounded and politically motivated. Myanmar joined the UN Drugs 
Convention in 1988 and became a member of the Asia Pacific Group on 
Anti-Money Laundering in March 2006. Due to Myanmar's Anti-Money 
Laundering Projects in accordance with international regulations, 
the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) deleted Myanmar from its list 
of Non-Cooperative Countries and Territories on 13 October 2006. 
 
Myanmar's national efforts in combating drug problem were carried 
out with little or no external assistance. It is a sad fact that 
these sincere efforts have not received the full acknowledgement and 
support that they deserve. 
 
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Union of Myanmar therefore 
categorically rejects the International Narcotics Control Strategy 
Report issued by the US Department of State as inaccurate and 
politically motivated assessments. 
 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
Nay Pyi Taw 
Dated: 4 March 2009 
 
End text. 
 
VAJDA 
 
 
 
 
RANGOON 00000138  003 OF 003 
 
 
1