US embassy cable - 02RANGOON1321

C O N F I D E N T I A L RANGOON 001321 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/10/2012 
TAGS: PREL, TH, BM 
SUBJECT: THAI/BURMESE AGREEMENT TO REOPEN THE BORDER 
 
Classified By: COM Carmen Martinez. Reason: 1.5 (d). 
 
1. (C) Summary:  Thai Permanent Secretary Tej Bunnag told the 
Burmese October 7 in Rangoon that the Thai cabinet decided to 
prohibit any Thai-based groups from attacking neighboring 
countries, according to Thai embassy sources.  He also 
reportedly said that Prime Minister Thaksin so instructed the 
new Minister of Defense.  The Burmese were evidently 
satisfied.  All border crossings are to reopen on October 15. 
 End Summary. 
 
2. (C) According to Thai embassy sources, the agreed minutes 
of the October 7 meeting between Thai Permanent Secretary Tej 
Bunnag and Burma's Deputy Foreign Minister Khin Maung Win 
were pre-cooked with an eye to public consumption in 
Thailand.  However, Bunnag also provided oral assurances 
regarding security as part of the negotiations to reopen the 
border.  Basically, Bunnag briefed the Burmese on the Thai 
cabinet decision (reportedly taken on June 28) not to allow 
any groups to use Thai territory for attacks on neighboring 
countries.  Bunnag also told the Burmese that Prime Minister 
Thaksin had directly instructed new Thai Defense Minister 
Thammarak to relay that decision to the First and Third Army 
Commanders, and to ensure that both complied. 
 
3. (C) Other issues incorporated in the agreed minutes 
included narcotics cooperation, border trade, illegal 
workers, and refugees.  On border trade, the Thais agreed 
that all transactions will have to be settled in accordance 
with Burmese trade rules, which now require letters of credit 
rather than telex transfers or cash payments.  On illegal 
workers, the two sides agreed to hold the next joint task 
force meeting in Yangon on November 11.  On the other two 
issues -- refugees and counternarcotics -- the decision was 
simply to renew discussions and cooperation on the same terms 
as before. 
 
4. (C) Thai embassy sources also said that the agreement to 
open the border covered all border crossing points, and not 
just the three major crossings, as reported in the press.  On 
October 15, the three major crossings at Kawthoung, Myawaddy, 
and Tachileik will all be open, as well as all 20 smaller 
crossing points, this source claimed. 
 
5. (C) Finally, Thai embassy sources emphasized that 
relations between Burma and Thailand were still far from 
normal, despite the agreement on opening the border.  The 
newspaper references to Thailand as "Yodya" and the ban on 
advertising of Thai products still continued.  Nevertheless, 
the Thai embassy was hopeful that those irritating measures 
would also end as news of the agreement filtered through the 
Burmese bureaucracy. 
 
Comment 
 
6. (C) An improvement in Thai-Burma relations may bolster the 
chances of cooperation on narcotics and other regional 
issues.  It could also serve to reduce the regime's concerns 
about perceived Thai support for Burma's ethnic insurgents. 
Such a reduction could possibly bolster the confidence of 
some SPDC members on beginning serious dialogue with the NLD 
and ethnics, although other regime supporters would just be 
glad to see troubles on the Thai border diminish.  End 
Comment. 
Martinez