US embassy cable - 03RANGOON640

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BURMESE - U.S. W.W. II REMAINS RECOVERY TECHNICAL TALKS POSTPONED

Identifier: 03RANGOON640
Wikileaks: View 03RANGOON640 at Wikileaks.org
Origin: Embassy Rangoon
Created: 2003-06-02 10:13:00
Classification: CONFIDENTIAL
Tags: MOPS PREL BM
Redacted: This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

C O N F I D E N T I A L RANGOON 000640 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/02/2013 
TAGS: MOPS, PREL, BM 
SUBJECT: BURMESE - U.S. W.W. II REMAINS RECOVERY TECHNICAL 
TALKS POSTPONED 
 
REF: A. RANGOON 636 (NOTAL) 
 
     B. RANGOON 635 (NOTAL) 
 
Classified By: COM CARMEN MARTINEZ FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D). 
 
1.  (C) After consultation with DOD DAS Jennings and other 
appropriate individuals involved in the W.W.II Remains 
Recovery Technical talks scheduled for June 4-6 in Rangoon, 
the mutual decision to postpone the talks was made today, 
June 2.  The most recent regime crackdown on the democratic 
opposition in Burma (reftels), has resulted in the detention 
of Aung San Suu Kyi and at least 10 senior members of her 
National League for Democracy under pretense of "protective 
custody" for their own safety.  This is an inappropriate 
setting for interaction between DOD elements and the military 
regime.  We have conveyed to DAS Jennings that Embassy 
Rangoon continues to fully support the W.W.II Remains 
Recovery Mission. 
 
2) (C) The talks were scheduled at this time to discuss 
operational details for a mission in December 2003 or January 
2004 (after the local rainy season) and can easily be 
rescheduled.  It was decided that it would be best to 
postpone the meeting rather than send conflicting signals to 
the Burmese government regarding our unhappiness with this 
latest round of political repression.  We are also concerned 
that the media or members of Congress could interpret 
technical talks at this time as DOD and State conducting 
"business as usual" with the regime at the same time that the 
USG is denouncing the junta's actions. 
 
3) (C) We have advised Major General Thein Shwe, of the 
Office of the Chief of Military Intelligence, of the 
postponement of the technical talks.  We informed him that it 
would be inappropriate to conduct the talks due to the 
current circumstances.  We reiterated our commitment to the 
recovery mission from a humanitarian perspective and told the 
general we would reopen discussions on the topic when 
appropriate. 
Martinez 

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