US embassy cable - 04RANGOON1237

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 001237 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV, INR/B; PACOM FOR FPA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/19/2014 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PINR, BM 
SUBJECT: BURMESE REGIME OUSTS FOREIGN AFFAIRS TEAM 
 
REF: A. RANGOON 250 
 
     B. 03 RANGOON 1029 
     C. 03 RANGOON 1031 
 
Classified By: DCM Ron McMullen for Reasons 1.4 (b,d) 
 
1. (C) Summary:  On September 18, the SPDC conducted a 
mini-shuffle of the GOB cabinet, in the process ousting the 
regime's primary foreign affairs team and giving a boost to 
the trusted Minister of Labor, U Tin Winn.  Gone to pasture 
are the unimpressive Minister of Foreign Affairs, U Win Aung, 
and his capable deputy, Khin Maung Win--replaced by senior 
military officers with little or no international and 
diplomatic experience.  These latest cabinet changes are 
further indication that the Burmese regime is increasingly 
secure in its 16-year tenure.  End Summary. 
 
2. (U) In a series of eight orders issued on September 18 by 
Secretary-1 Lt Gen Soe Win, the State Peace and Development 
 
SIPDIS 
Council (SPDC) made several significant changes to the 
Burmese government's cabinet, including the ouster of the 
Foreign Minister and his principal deputy as well as the 
Ministers of Agriculture and Transportation.  The SPDC also 
shuffled three members of the GOB cabinet to new portfolios. 
(Note: September 18 was also the 16th anniversary of the 
seizure of power by the State Law and Order Restoration 
Council (SLORC), predecessor to the SPDC.  End Note.) 
 
3. (U) Begin text of cabinet changes: 
 
"Permission granted for retirement:" 
 
--U Win Aung, Minister for Foreign Affairs. 
--U Khin Maung Win, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs. 
--Maj-Gen Nyunt Tin, Minister for Agriculture and Irrigation. 
--Maj-Gen Hla Myint Swe, Minister for Transport. 
 
New appointments: 
 
--Maj-Gen Nyan Win, Minister for Foreign Affairs. 
--Col Maung Myint, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs. 
--Col Zaw Min, Minister for Cooperatives. 
--Brig-Gen Tin Naing Thein, Minister for Commerce. 
 
Reassignments: 
 
--Maj-Gen Htay Oo, Minister for Cooperatives to Minister for 
Agriculture and Irrigation. 
--Maj-Gen Thein Swe, Minister at the Prime Minister's Office 
to Minister for Transport. 
--Brig-Gen Pyi Sone, Minister for Commerce to Minister at the 
Prime Minister's Office. 
--U Tin Winn, Minister for Labor and now concurrently 
Minister at the Prime Minister's Office. 
(Comment: The new portfolio gives added responsibility to Tin 
Winn, one of the regime's most trusted cabinet members, who 
will replace the outgoing Minister of Foreign Affairs as head 
of the GOB's UNGA delegation.  End Comment.) 
 
End text of cabinet changes. 
 
4. (U) Biographic notes:  New Foreign Minister Maj-Gen Nyan 
Win, a career soldier with no known international experience, 
was until his latest appointment the Deputy Director General 
of Military Training at the Ministry of Defense.  The MFA has 
yet to release an official biography, but we understand that 
he previously served as commander of the Southeast Military 
Command (1999-2000); director of the military's Staff College 
(2000-2002); and as a senior member of the former Office of 
Strategic Studies (2002).  He is also an active member of the 
National Convention's Convening Commission, which has 
oversight of the ongoing constitutional convention. 
 
5. (SBU) Bio notes continued: Very little is known about the 
new Deputy Foreign Minister, Col. Maung Myint, current 
commander of a light infantry division based in Rangoon who 
is apparently a well-regarded military officer but speaks 
little English and has no diplomatic experience.  The new 
Minister for Cooperatives, Col Zaw Min, is the former 
Chairman of the Magwe Division Peace and Development Council, 
and the new Minister of Commerce, Brig-Gen Tin Naing Thein, 
is the former Deputy Minister for Forestry.  The outgoing 
Ministers of Agriculture (Maj-Gen Nyunt Tin) and Transport 
(Maj-Gen Hla Myint Swe) have reportedly been slated for 
retirement since 2003.  End bio notes. 
 
6. (C) Many Burmese, accustomed to the SPDC's quasi-annual 
cabinet reshuffling (refs), have greeted the changes with a 
resigned shrug of indifference.  However, the abrupt 
departure of the GOB's primary foreign affairs team is 
noteworthy for its timing as well as for its substance. 
Beginning this week, Burma goes on the defensive and faces an 
intense period of interaction with the international 
community, including the UNGA and an annual Burma resolution; 
the October Asia-Europe Meeting Summit (ASEM) and related 
diplomatic drama over Burma's participation; and the November 
ILO Governing Board and possible countermeasures targeting 
the military regime. 
 
7. (C) The appointment six years ago of outgoing Foreign 
Minister U Win Aung, a former military intelligence officer 
and Ambassador to the U.K., was perceived as an effort by the 
SPDC to use a capable diplomat to pitch the regime's bankrupt 
policies to the international community.  However, the 60 
year-old Win Aung has in many respects disappointed both the 
regime and the Rangoon diplomatic corps.  Lacking the full 
confidence of the generals, he has had scant decision-making 
authority and has frequently been uninformed about SPDC 
policies.  In private, he has expressed a desire to retire 
and spend time in a Buddhist monastery.  The "retirement" of 
his deputy, Khin Maung Win, marks the departure of a more 
seasoned and sophisticated career diplomat (a 1983 Fulbright 
scholar and graduate of The Johns Hopkins University). 
 
8. (C) Comment:  Following the weekend cabinet changes, there 
has been standard speculation in Rangoon that the 
appointments and departures reflect a power play among the 
regime's troika of Chairman Than Shwe, Vice Chairman Maung 
Aye, and Prime Minister Khin Nyunt--with the Chairman calling 
the shots and further consolidating his power.  However, we 
find it more interesting to observe that the abrupt ouster of 
the GOB's foreign affairs team, replaced by active military 
officers with no known diplomatic experience, is further 
indication that the Burmese regime is increasingly secure in 
its 16-year quest for legitimacy.  With these latest 
appointments, the vast majority of the cabinet is now 
comprised of active or former military officers (only the 
Ministers of Education, Health, and National Planning are 
"full" civilians).    End Comment. 
Martinez