US embassy cable - 03RANGOON1215

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 001215 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE ALSO FOR EAP/BCLTV; TREASURY FOR OASIA JEFF NEIL; 
USPACOM FOR FPA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/24/2013 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, BM, ASSK 
SUBJECT: ALATAS VISIT TO BURMA: "I DON'T WANT TO IMPOSE" 
 
REF: A. RANGOON 1159 
 
     B. RANGOON 1187 
     C. JAKARTA 9435 
 
Classified By: COM Carmen Martinez for Reasons 1.5 (B,D) 
 
1. (C) Summary:  He came, he saw, he left.  Indonesian 
special envoy Ali Alitas made a four-day visit September 
21-24 to deliver personal messages to the SPDC from President 
Megawati.  In his own words, he did not want to "impose" on 
the regime with regard to ASSK and accepted at face value the 
SPDC's claim that the democracy leader was not medically 
cleared to receive visitors (a claim contradicted by ASSK's 
personal physician, ref b).  According to the Indonesian 
Ambassador here, Indonesia does not want "extraneous issues" 
(referring to the detention of ASSK) to affect the agenda at 
the upcoming ASEAN summit in Bali, which will focus on less 
controversial themes.  By all accounts, the Alatas visit may 
lead the SPDC to believe that they will not be called to task 
in Bali for their recent misdeeds.  End summary. 
 
Alatas Visit: His Own Take 
-------------------------- 
 
2. (C) On September 24, Indonesian special envoy Ali Alatas 
gave a press briefing on his four-day visit to Burma, just 
prior to his return to Jakarta.  According to the British DCM 
here, who was allowed to attend the briefing, Alatas insisted 
that he came to Burma as a special envoy of President 
Megawati, not as a representative of ASEAN (note: his point 
was foreshadowed by the GOB, per ref A.  end note.)  Alatas 
downplayed his visit and offered that the SPDC is "carefully 
and positively" considering ASSK's detention, which the 
regime described as "temporary and for her own protection." 
Alatas concluded he was "satisfied" with his visit, but said 
that it would be for others to judge the success of his brief 
stay.  After Alatas told the press that he did not see ASSK 
because the GOB had informed him she did not have "medical 
clearance" for a personal visit, our British colleague took 
the envoy aside and told him that ASSK's physician had 
declared her medically fit to receive guests.  Alatas replied 
that he didn't want to "impose" on the authorities with 
regard to with ASSK. 
 
The Indonesian Embassy Version 
------------------------------ 
 
3. (C) On September 25, Indonesian Ambassador-designate Wyoso 
Prodjowarsito gave a one-hour briefing to the diplomatic 
corps on the Alatas visit.  (Note: The Indonesian Ambassador 
has been in Rangoon for only one month and has not yet 
presented credentials.  End note).  Joining the COM were 
Ambassadors and/or Charges from the UK, Italy, Korea, 
Germany, France, Australia, and Japan.  A junior diplomat 
from China and Leon de Reidmatten, local liaison for U.N. 
Special Envoy Razali, also attended. 
 
4. (C) According to Prodjowarsito, Alatas met on Monday 
September 22 for one hour with Prime Minister General Khin 
Nyunt and on Tuesday September 22 for 45 minutes with SPDC 
Chairman Senior General Than Shwe.  Participants in the 
latter session included Khin Nyunt, SPDC Vice Chairman 
General Maung Aye, SPDC Secretary 1, Secretary 2, and "many 
other officials."  Alatas' only other official meeting was 
dinner with the Deputy Foreign Minister after his arrival on 
Sunday.  The "spirit" of Alatas' meetings with the PM and 
with Than Shwe was very cordial, and Alatas was impressed 
that the SPDC Chairman conducted his entire meeting in 
English. 
 
5. (C) On the basis of Indonesia and Burma's "long-standing 
friendship, dating back to their struggles for independence," 
Alatas delivered a personal letter from Megawati to Senior 
General Than Shwe and an invitation to PM Khin Nyunt to 
attend the ASEAN Bali Conference in October (the PM 
apparently accepted the invitation).  Prodjowarsito said that 
Megawati's letter to Than Shwe "did not mention ASSK." 
Alatas believes that the seven-point "Burma Roadmap to 
Democracy" will be implemented faithfully with the 
"participation of all parties," including the NLD and ethnic 
groups.  Alatas did not pressure either the PM or Than Shwe 
on a timeframe for the implementation of the roadmap, but 
believes that "it will be implemented faithfully."  His 
meetings focused on "big picture issues" outlined in the 
roadmap and especially the prospect of transition to a 
market-oriented economy. 
 
6. (C) Prodjowarsito said that President Megawati had no 
intention to pressure the GOB and "the special envoy had no 
intention to pressure for the release of ASSK."  Although 
Alitas had planned to see ASSK, PM Khin Nyunt advised him 
that "her condition was good, but her doctor advised against 
visitors."  In any case, Prodjowarsito said, seeing ASSK was 
not Alatas' priority.  However, Alatas did tell PM Khin Nyunt 
that Indonesia did not want ASSK's continued detention to be 
"counterproductive," either to the ASEAN agenda in Bali or to 
overall progress on the SPDC's roadmap.  Alatas did raise the 
"tragedy" of May 30 with the PM, who responded that ASSK's 
detention is temporary and that "she will be released from 
the guest house," but offered no timeframe. 
 
7. (C) Ambassador Prodjowarsito emphasized that Indonesia 
does not want "extraneous issues" (referring to the detention 
of ASSK) to affect the Bali agenda, which will focus on more 
cooperative themes such as a "Bali declaration."  He said 
that there is currently no specific agenda item dedicated to 
a Burma discussion, but explained that Burma issues can be 
raised under an agenda item titled "Current Developments." 
 
And On To The Next Visitor 
-------------------------- 
 
8. (C) Leon De Reidmatten told the group that U.N. Special 
Envoy Razali will arrive in Rangoon the morning of September 
30 and depart on October 2.  However, de Riedmatten did not 
indicate that the SPDC has confirmed a meeting with either 
ASSK or Than Shwe.  De Riedmatten said this 11th visit will 
be different from previous visits, as Razali will have to 
evolve from "being a facilitator into being a negotiator." 
Razali will need to negotiate the composition of a reconvened 
National Convention, from which the regime has to date 
excluded the democratic opposition.  De Riedmatten said that 
Razali will also need at least two meetings each with the PM, 
Than Shwe, and ASSK in order to "negotiate a compromise 
between the regime and the lady." 
 
Comment: Off the Hook in Bali? 
------------------------------ 
 
9. (C)  We are not privy to the contents of the 
correspondence delivered by Alatas to the SPDC.  However, his 
public diplomacy here in Rangoon was disappointing.  He 
missed a rare opportunity to visit with ASSK, seek her views 
on the situation prior to the ASEAN summit, and offer her 
regional support in the aftermath of the SPDC's premeditated 
and violent attack of May 30.  This "soft" approach may 
encourage the regime to not return ASSK to detention after 
her pending hospital discharge.  However, it is likely that 
Alatas' "friendly" visit leaves the generals with the 
impression that they will not have to account for their many 
misdeeds when they meet with their regional counterparts in 
Bali.  End comment. 
Martinez