US embassy cable - 04RANGOON1524

C O N F I D E N T I A L RANGOON 001524 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV; PACOM FOR FPA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/30/2014 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, BM 
SUBJECT: BURMESE REGIME RECALLS FOREIGN ENVOYS FOR 
"REORIENTATION" 
 
REF: A. RANGOON 1462 AND PREVIOUS 
     B. BANGKOK 8198 
 
Classified By: COM Carmen Martinez for Reasons 1.4 (b,d) 
 
1. (C) Summary:  The GOB has instructed its 37-odd foreign 
envoys to return to Burma in three separate batches for 
"reorientation" and "familiarization" with new members of the 
government and senior military officers.  One senior official 
insists that rumors all of the ambassadors will be ousted are 
not true, but admits that some of the Burmese diplomats are 
"afraid" to come home.  We suspect that those ambassadors 
with close ties to ousted PM Khin Nyunt are vulnerable, as in 
the case of the now former Burmese ambassador to Thailand 
(ref B), but the ongoing purge of the Khin Nyunt empire will 
have a more likely impact on military intelligence agents 
embedded in Burmese missions overseas.  End Summary. 
 
2. (SBU) Rumors have been circulating for several weeks that 
the SPDC, following the October 19 ouster of former Prime 
Minister Khin Nyunt (ref A), had initiated a world-wide 
recall of all Burmese ambassadors at approximately 37 
overseas missions.  As the rumors have it, the regime planned 
to retire all of the envoys and, in some cases, arrest those 
with close ties to Khin Nyunt. 
 
3. (C) The COM recently spoke with MOFA's Director General 
for Protocol, Thura U Aung Htet, and asked about reports of a 
full recall of envoys or a massive changeover in the Burmese 
foreign service.  Aung Htet said that, indeed, the GOB had 
instructed ambassadors to return to Rangoon, but emphasized 
that the consultations were for "reorientation" and 
"familiarization" with new members of the government and 
senior military.  Aung Htet stressed that there was no 
"global recall," but rather visits to Burma by three separate 
batches of ambassadors.  The first batch (which, according to 
Embassy sources, is comprised of Burmese diplomats posted 
throughout the Southeast Asia region) arrived in Burma in 
mid-November.  The second batch will arrive in early December 
and the third, and final, batch will visit in January. 
 
4. (C) U Aung Htet, an experienced 69 year-old diplomat who 
earned his honorific "Thura" title fighting the Burmese 
Communist Party in the 1970s, said that the first group of 
ambassadors was already visiting upcountry border posts and 
regional military commanders and meeting with new GOB 
ministers.  He admitted that many of the ambassadors were 
"afraid" to come home as they thought they were being 
summoned for removal (or worse).  However, Aung Htet insisted 
that rumors of a global ouster were not true. 
 
5. (C) An additional, and related, rumor has surfaced on the 
Democratic Voice of Burma and other exile media outlets 
claiming that the Burmese ambassador in London, Kyaw Win, has 
sought political asylum from the U.K.  The British Embassy in 
Rangoon tells us that their Foreign Office has no information 
on an asylum application, but acknowledges that as a result 
of confidentiality requirements they might not be privy to 
such a development.  Local contacts opine that it would be 
highly unlikely for Kyaw Win, a regime insider with close 
ties to senior SPDC officials, to quit his job while overseas. 
 
6. (C) Comment: Many of Burma's foreign envoys had close ties 
to Khin Nyunt and, contrary to Aung Htet's explanation, it 
does appear that at least one such ambassador has been 
removed (ref B, the former Burmese Ambassador to Thailand). 
Others are vulnerable and may meet the same fate.  However, a 
more likely scenario would be a broader recall of military 
intelligence agents buried in most Burmese embassies.  MI's 
function in foreign capitals has been to keep close tabs on 
GOB diplomats and Burmese exile groups.  The SPDC will not 
seek to abolish this essential function, but the ongoing 
purge of Khin Nyunt and his MI faithful will quite possibly 
extend overseas.  End Comment. 
MARTINEZ