US embassy cable - 04RANGOON370

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 000370 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV; USPACOM FOR FPA 
COMMERCE FOR ITA JEAN KELLY 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/17/2014 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PHUM, BM, National Convention 
SUBJECT: MOFA ON DPRK MISSILES, ROAD MAP 
 
REF: A. RANGOON 369 
     B. RANGOON 334 
     C. RANGOON 317 
     D. RANGOON 306 
 
Classified By: COM Carmen M. Martinez for Reasons 1.4 (B,D) 
 
1.  (C) SUMMARY:  MOFA Political Director General U Thaung 
Tun, covering a range of political issues, reiterated to COM 
on March 18 the GOB's position that Burma has refused North 
Korea offers to buy missiles and has no intention of resuming 
diplomatic relations with DPRK.  He that although the GOB is 
still training technicians in nuclear technology, Burma has 
shelved plans to build a nuclear reactor with Russian help. 
On internal issues, he reported that the National Convention 
(NC) will be held this calendar year and that GOB Ministries 
have already appointed delegates.  U Thaung Tun categorized 
UN Envoy Razali as being "upbeat" on his recent visit, though 
Thaung Tun admitted he was out of the loop on Razali's 
meetings with ASSK.  He tantalizingly predicted that the 
pre-May 30 level of interaction between MOFA and the U.S. 
Embassy are about to resume, and urged the COM to "keep 
knocking because the door is about to open."  Chinese Vice 
Premier Wu Yi will visit Burma next week to discuss economic 
issues.  END SUMMARY. 
 
TIES WITH DPRK 
-------------- 
 
2.  (C) During a March 18 meeting to discuss HIV/AIDS (reftel 
A), MOFA Political Director General U Thaung Tun told COM 
that with regard to restoring diplomatic relations with North 
Korea "we had a lot of overtures from them, but don't really 
want them."  He reiterated a GOB position recently put forth 
by the Deputy Foreign Minister (ref C) and said that the DPRK 
has "offered to sell us missiles, but we don't have any 
dealings with the North."  Since the DPRK is also a member of 
the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), Burma has invited them to 
send a delegation to the ARF meeting in Rangoon in mid-April 
(ref B).  U Thaung Tun has not heard yet if the DPRK will 
attend, and recalled that they didn't attend the November ARF 
meeting he co-chaired in Beijing, although that was due to 
the concurrently running six-party talks. 
 
NO MORE NUKES (FOR NOW) 
----------------------- 
 
3.  (C) U Thaung Tun told COM that the government has shelved 
its plan to build a nuclear facility with Russian assistance. 
 He stated that Burma's gas fields provide enough energy to 
meet Burma's current needs.  However, he added that Burma 
continues to train the technicians that would have been 
needed for the nuclear project, although he did not offer an 
explanation. 
 
THE CHINESE ARE COMING 
---------------------- 
 
4.  (C) The DG also told us MOFA is preoccupied for the next 
week with preparations for a looming visit by a Chinese Vice 
Premier Wu Yi.  Also a State Council Member with an economic 
portfolio, Wu's visit will be focusing on economic issues, 
and was arranged to reciprocate Maung Aye's visit to China 
last fall. 
 
PM DIALOGUE WITH ASSK 
--------------------- 
 
5.  (C) Asked how the recent visit of UN Special Envoy Razali 
(red d), U Thaung Tun told COM he agreed with the UN press 
release and say Razali "was upbeat."  He added however, that 
"we don't know the details on the visit, those are kept on a 
need-to-know basis."  Prime Minister General Khin Nyunt is 
focused on political progress in Burma, and as evidence the 
DG cited the PM's meeting with the KNU in January to achieve 
the cease-fire.  Thaung Tun tried to underscore this further 
by explaining that the PM's un-named "high-level emissaries," 
though not the PM himself, are meeting with ASSK and there is 
an important dialogue now going on. 
 
RAZALI AND THE ROAD MAP 
----------------------- 
 
6.  (C) The COM noted Razali's suggestion that PM Gen Khin 
Nyunt should be given a "full mandate" implies there is a 
division in the leadership.  Thaung Tun responded that is was 
more a question of Razali judging Burma from the fact that 
"we have a collective leadership," but quickly added that the 
leaders "have a consensus now and will move forward with it." 
 He added that everyone has to have a say in the NC, 
including the political parties, the ethnic nationalities, 
and the KNU.  COM noted that this should logically mean the 
ASSK will be released and the NLD allowed to participate, 
whereupon Thaung Tun demurred slightly and said that he 
didn't want to differ from the Deputy Foreign Minister's 
logic on this question. 
 
7.  (C) Thaung Tun told COM that the "PM says the NC will be 
held this year," and that every Ministry has already been 
asked to name representatives.  (NOTE: Americas Division 
Director U Thant Kyaw told Poloff that MOFA officials only of 
much higher rank than his will attend.)  The COM advised the 
DG that if the NC isn't held this year, Burma will have no 
credibility on the world stage.  Thaung Tun said he agreed 
with the COM on this, and added that "the PM is a serious 
person.  To not succeed wouldn't only look bad for him, but 
would invite chaos."   The DG noted that as proof of the PM's 
intentions, intense physical preparations for the National 
Convention (NC) were being made at a place outside Rangoon. 
The NC must have room for all the delegates, including from 
the armed groups.  He thought there would be 800 to 1,000 
delegates vice the 700 delegates for the 1993 convention. 
 
BETTER MOFA-U.S. EMBASSY TIES? 
------------------------------ 
 
8.  (C) The COM asked Thaung Tun if he has passed on the 
Embassy's requests for loosening restrictions on MOFA staff 
contacts with U.S. Embassy officials and restoring the level 
of Embassy access to GOB officials to pre-May 30 levels.  The 
DG responded that the message has been passed, and for the 
COM to "keep knocking, the door's about to open." 
 
9.  (C) COMMENT: The DG's unexpected but not-surprising 
tidbits on their relationship with North Korea indicate that 
the generals are concerned about current U.S. attention to 
Burma-DPRK dealings.  As to the better Embassy-MOFA ties that 
Thaung Tun hinted were soon coming, those would likely 
accompany the opening of the door for ASSK and the NLD and 
the announcement of the national convention.  However, there 
is no official date for the NC, and ASSK is still under house 
arrest.  END COMMENT. 
Martinez