US embassy cable - 04RANGOON899

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 000899 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV; PACOM FOR FPA; COMMERCE FOR ITA JEAN 
KELLY 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/14/2014 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, BM, National Convention 
SUBJECT: GOB BRIEFS DIPLOMATS ON NATIONAL CONVENTION 
 
REF: A. RANGOON 883 AND PREVIOUS 
     B. RANGOON 393 
 
Classified By: COM Carmen Martinez for Reasons 1.4 (b,d) 
 
1. (C) Summary:  On July 14 Burma's Deputy Foreign Minister 
led a briefing of the Rangoon dipcorps on the recently 
adjourned National Convention (NC).  He did not rule out 
future participation by the NLD in the constitution drafting 
process, but gave no indication that efforts are underway to 
accommodate any opposition parties.  The otherwise standard 
GOB briefing only grew interesting during a testy Q and A 
period.  Numerous hard-hitting and pointed questions gave the 
DFM some indication that few, if any, among the international 
community view the Convention as a meaningful process. 
Nonetheless, the briefing was further evidence that the 
regime has no plans to deviate from a script that calls for 
Convention delegates to bless a pre-drafted constitution. 
End Summary. 
 
2. (SBU) On July 14 Deputy Foreign Minister U Khin Maung Win 
led a briefing for the Rangoon diplomatic corps on the 
recently adjourned National Convention (ref A).  Several 
dozen embassies and international organizations were 
represented at the one hour event.  Although the DFM led off 
the session, he left the bulk of the cursory briefing to U 
Thaung Nyunt, the dour secretary of the NC's "Convening Work 
Committee" (ref B). 
 
3. (U) U Thaung Nyunt summarized the general proceedings to 
date of the National Convention, which reconvened on May 17 
and adjourned on July 9, and ongoing efforts to finalize the 
drafting of a new constitution.  He suggested that although 
nine of the constitution's chapters remain unfinished, little 
work would take place during the NC recess because delegate 
groups had already submitted discussion papers and proposals. 
 He added that the Convention itself was not encumbered by 
voting, because "all discussions lead to a consensus." 
 
4. (U) An otherwise humdrum GOB briefing grew interesting 
during a testy question and answer period.  The German 
Ambassador chastised U Thaung Nyunt for giving a presentation 
that merely repeated information provided in state-run media 
and demanded that MFA officials "shed more light on the NC 
process."  The Pakistan ambassador raised questions stemming 
from rumors that the NC had adjourned because of difficulties 
with the ethnic groups and because the GOB intended to draw 
in "other political parties" (read: the NLD).  The DFM 
dismissed these rumors and, ignoring the political party 
question, claimed that the NC had simply recessed for a 
scheduled adjournment to allow delegates to address personal 
business. 
 
5. (U) The COM pursued the political party angle and asked if 
the GOB would seek discussions with the NLD leading to future 
opposition participation in the Convention.  U Thaung Nyunt 
said that the GOB had already invited the NLD to attend, 
"despite the party's demand for more seats," and suggested 
that the ball was in the NLD's court.  The DFM took the 
podium and declared that "NLD participation depends on many 
factors and circumstances and we prefer not to go into any 
details at this time."  However, he allowed that the door was 
not closed on future NLD participation (Note: NLD CEC members 
told the COM and P/E chief later that evening that the GOB 
has not approached the party since negotiations broke down on 
May 13.  End note.) 
 
6. (U) The UK ambassador questioned the GOB officials about 
reports that the ethnic cease-fire groups (CFGs) at the NC 
were prohibited from submitting a proposal on states' rights. 
 U Thaung Nyunt said "like in a democracy, the other seven 
groups (of GOB hand-picked delegates) simply agreed not to 
accept the CFGs' proposal."  The DFM interrupted and said 
that the proposals, which addressed power sharing scenarios, 
were never rejected; "we simply asked the CFGs to withdraw 
their proposals because they offered ideas that are not in 
keeping with present conditions in the country." 
 
7. (C) Comment: Although DFM U Khin Maung Win, a former 
Fulbrighter and graduate of Johns Hopkins University, has 
emerged as one of the GOB's more polished spokesmen, the 
career diplomat had more difficulty than usual on this 
occasion satisfying a feisty diplomatic corps.  He seemed 
nonplused not just by the expected probing questions from the 
U.S. and EU missions but also by the pointed inquiries from 
several of the normally more reserved Ambassadors, which gave 
the DFM some indication that few in the international 
community view the National Convention as a meaningful 
process.  Nonetheless, the briefing was further evidence that 
the regime has no plans to deviate from its script which 
calls for Convention delegates to bless a pre-drafted 
constitution.  End comment. 
Martinez