VZCZCXYZ0009
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHC #3603 2240133
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 120116Z AUG 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING IMMEDIATE 9762
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW IMMEDIATE 2739
INFO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 7292

UNCLAS STATE 083603 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PHUM UNSC BM RS CH
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE REQUEST: PRST ON AUNG SAN SUU KYI 
VERDICT 
 
REF: USUN NEW YORK 762 
 
¶1. (U) This is an action request.  Posts are requested to 
demarche at the highest appropriate level regarding host 
country objections to a draft UN Security Council 
Presidential Statement (PRST) dealing with the Aung San Suu 
Kyi verdict in Burma. (PRST text in REFTEL)  Embassies 
Beijing and Moscow may draw on para 3 points, which may also 
be left as a nonpaper. Embassy Beijing should also draw from 
and may leave the point contained in para 4. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Background:  On August 11 the Burmese government 
convicted Aung San Suu Kyi on spurious charges of violating 
her terms of house arrest.  She was sentenced to three years 
in prison, which was later commuted to 18 months under house 
arrest.  Her detention, which has spanned more than 13 of the 
past 19 years, was unjustified from the start; the trial and 
recent conviction underscore the lengths to which the 
authorities are willing to go to silence dissent and solidify 
their own rule in advance of the planned 2010 parliamentary 
elections. 
 
¶3. (U) Begin points: 
 
We are deeply concerned by the recent conviction and 
continued detention of Aung San Suu Kyi on spurious charges. 
While we recognize that there are many challenges facing 
Burma, Aung San Suu Kyi's unconditional release would have 
been a concrete move toward national reconciliation, a 
prerequisite for credible national elections. 
 
Instead, the actions of the Burmese government raise 
troubling questions as to its ultimate intentions toward the 
international community, as well as toward the Burmese 
people, with respect to a future transition to democracy. 
 
We have all expressed our support for Secretary-General Ban 
and his last visit to Burma.  He has tried to engage the 
Burmese officials on this issue.  On August 11, the 
Secretary-General issued a statement "strongly deploring" the 
regime's decision to convict Aung San Suu Kyi and again 
calling for her release in order to ensure the credibility of 
the political process. 
 
Since 2007, the Council has repeatedly emphasized the 
"importance of the early release of all political prisoners 
and remaining detainees" as well as "genuine dialogue with 
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi."  In May the Security Council issued a 
press statement expressing "our concern about the political 
impact of recent developments relating to Daw Aung Suu Kyi." 
It is critical that we issue a timely presidential statement 
condemning this conviction. 
 
¶4. (U) (For Beijing Only) During the recent U.S.-China 
Strategic and Economic Dialogue, the United States informed 
China that we are prepared to respond in concrete terms to 
positive steps on the part of the Burmese, specifically the 
release of Aung San Suu Kyi.  Now is the time for Beijing to 
press Burma's generals to release her, both publicly through 
the presidential statement and privately, or the Burmese 
regime will forfeit a chance to improve relations with the 
United States. 
 
End points. 
 
¶5. (U) As the subject matter is time-sensitive, Department 
appreciates Posts' cooperation in delivering this demarche 
expeditiously and in providing a rapid readout of the Chinese 
and Russian responses.  Please forward any readout to IO/UNP 
Michael Garuckis, GaruckisMJ@state.sgov.gov; EUR/RUS Kathleen 
Szpila, SzpilaKS@state.sgov.gov; and EAP/CM David 
Kritenbrink, KritenbrinkDK@state.sgov.gov. 
CLINTON