US embassy cable - 05RANGOON122

UNCLAS  RANGOON 000122 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV AND INR/B; PACOM FOR FPA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, PINR, BM 
SUBJECT: BIOGRAPHY: U WUNNA MAUNG LWIN (PROPOSED AMBASSADOR 
TO WASHINGTON) 
 
REF: RANGOON 51 
 
1.  (SBU)  Summary: Post has compiled newly available 
biographical information on U Wunna Maung Lwin, who has been 
proposed by the GOB to be the next ambassador from Burma to 
Washington.  Reftel forwarded the GOB's request for agrement 
and an official CV.  U Wunna Maung Lwin, Burma's current 
ambassador to France, is a decorated former military officer 
who has spent the last seven years in the senior civil and 
diplomatic services.  End Summary. 
 
EARLY YEARS 
 
2.  (SBU)  U Wunna Maung Lwin was born in Thaton, Mon State 
on May 30, 1952.  His father Maung Lwin was a major in the 
Burmese Army, later transferred from the army to civilian 
administration at Corporation No. 9 of the Trade Ministry. 
(Note: Reftel stated that his father was a Colonel with 
former ties to Than Shwe.  Subsequent information from Post 
sources clarified that his father was a major, and another 
officer with the exact same name was the colonel.  End Note.) 
Wunna Maung Lwin likely lived at home and obtained his high 
school education in Rangoon. 
 
EDUCATION (1970 - 1974) 
 
3.  (SBU) Wunna Maung Lwin started college at Rangoon 
Institute of Technology in 1970.  In 1972 he transferred to 
the Defense Services Academy (DSA) (Batch 16, BC No. 13031). 
While attending DSA he won several awards including "best 
cadet" and earned distinctions in science and English. 
 
MILITARY SERVICE (1974 - 1998) 
 
4.  (SBU) After graduating from DSA with a Bachelor of 
Science degree, Wunna Maung Lwin served with an infantry unit 
in Shan State.  He rose to the rank of captain and was 
transferred back to DSA where he served on the staff as an 
English teacher.  By 1988 he had been promoted to the rank of 
major and served with the 6th Infantry Battalion based at 
Hlawga in Rangoon. (Note: Although his unit was headquartered 
in Rangoon, Embassy sources believe he was posted with his 
unit to the field in Shan State at the time of the military 
regime's brutal suppression of 1988 pro-democracy 
demonstrations.  End Note.)  He was subsequently transferred 
to Mong Yawng in eastern Shan State where he saw action 
against communist forces.  Next he was posted to the 44th 
Light Infantry Division (LID) at Kawkareik, Karen State and 
served as the Tactical Commanding Officer.  In 1996 he 
attended the Defense Services Staff College where he excelled 
in English.  In 1997 he was promoted to the rank of colonel 
and returned as Tactical Operations Commander of the 44th LID 
serving both at Thaton, Mon State and Kawkareik, Karen State. 
 
 
CIVIL SERVICE (1998 - present) 
 
5.  (SBU)  In 1988, Wunna Maung Lwin was transferred to the 
senior ranks of the civil service in lieu of being promoted 
to the rank of brigadier and commander of the 44th LID (Note: 
This was probably due to his clean military record and his 
strong English language ability.  End Note.)  From July 1998 
until September 2000 he served as Director General of the 
Department for the Development of Border Areas and National 
Races ("NaTaLa").  He was a key GOB contact with the 
cease-fire groups for development issues in their regions and 
served as a member of the National Committee for the 
Development of Border Areas and National Races, which was 
chaired by Sr. Gen. Than Shwe.  During this time he made 
frequent field trips with foreign diplomats to monitor poppy 
cultivation and drug production. 
 
OTHER PUBLIC SERVICE 
 
6.  (SBU) Wunna Maung Lwin was involved in several public 
roles before he was appointed as an ambassador in 2000, 
including: 
 
--Attended a seminar on Training Methods for Integrated Local 
Community Development in Sri Lanka, July 27 - August 10, 
1998. 
--Attended the 1st Meeting of the ASEAN Task Force on Social 
Safety Nets and as a member of the Burma Delegation to 
 
 
Indonesia for an Informal Meeting of ASEAN Ministers on Rural 
Development and Poverty Alleviation, December 5-8, 1998. 
--Head of Burma Delegation to ASEAN-EU JCC Meeting in 
Brussels, Belgium, September 17-19, 2001. 
--Member of the Burma Delegation to the 57th, 58th, and 59th 
United Nations General Assembly Sessions in New York. 
 
DIPLOMATIC SERVICE (2000 - present) 
 
7.  (SBU) Wunna Maung Lwin served as Burma's ambassador to 
the following countries: 
 
--Ambassador to Israel, September 7, 2000 - August 2, 2001 
--Ambassador to France, October 22, 2001 - present 
--Ambassador to Netherlands: May 22, 2002 - present 
(accredited) 
--Ambassador to Belgium, July 10, 2002 - present (accredited) 
--Head of Burmese Delegation to EU Council, June 24, 2002 - 
present (accredited) 
--Ambassador to Switzerland, February 25, 2003 - present 
(accredited). 
 
TITLES AND AWARDS 
 
8.  (SBU) Wunna Maung Lwin has received several titles and 
awards during his career, including: 
 
--Medal (First Class) for Excellent Performance in 
Administrative Field 
--Gallantry Medal of the Commander in Chief 
--Distinguished Service Medal 
--Naing Ngan Daw Sit Hmu Htan Tazeik (Honorable Military 
Discharge Medal) 
--Pyi Thu Sit Taik Pwe Win Taseik (Anti-insurgengy Service 
Medal)  (Note: Such medals were issued during the pre-SLORC 
era.  End Note.) 
--Naing Ngan Daw Aye Chan Thar Yar Ye Tazeik (Law and Order 
Restoration Medal) 
 
FAMILY MEMBERS 
 
9.  (SBU) Wunna Maung Lwin's wife is Daw Lin Lin Tin, who is 
the youngest daughter of Thakhin Ba Tin, a member of the 
independence movement, Dobamar Asiayone, and an active 
Rakhine leftist politician in his day.  His 1st child, a 
daughter, is Dr. Tin Thisar Lwin who is currently doing her 
internship as a civil surgeon in Rangoon.  His 2nd child, a 
daughter, is Lin Mar Law Lwin and is currently studying 
computer science.  His 3rd child, a son, is Lin Min Aung Lwin 
and is currently enrolled in the Aeronautical Institute at 
Meiktila. 
Martinez 
 
 
NNNN