US embassy cable - 03ROME2585

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 002585 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/10/2013 
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, IT, BM, EUN 
SUBJECT: GOI WANTS TO COORDINATE ON BURMA DURING EU 
PRESIDENCY 

 
CLASSIFIED BY: POL MC TOM COUNTRYMAN FOR REASONS 1.5 B&D 
 
1.  (C) IN RESPONSE TO A REQUEST FROM MARCO DELLA SETA, MFA 
OFFICE DIRECTOR COVERING BURMA, POL MC AND POLOFF PASSED A 
SHORT HISTORY OF U.S. POLICY TOWARDS BURMA AND BRIEFLY 
DISCUSSED U.S. REACTION TO AUNG SAN SUU KYI'S DETENTION. 
DELLA SETA OFFERED A PRECIS OF EU AND ITALIAN POLICY TOWARDS 
BURMA AND EXPRESSED A DESIRE TO COORDINATE CLOSELY WITH THE 
U.S. DURING ITALY'S EU PRESIDENCY. 
 
2.  (C) ACCORDING TO DELLA SETA, IN THE LAST YEARS' INTERNAL 
EU DEBATE, THE U.K. AND FRANCE, AMONG OTHER NORTHERN-TIER EU 
COUNTRIES, SUPPORTED HARDER-HITTING SANCTIONS AGAINST THE 
REGIME.  GERMANY, AUSTRIA, PORTUGAL, AND ITALY SAW LESS VALUE 
IN SANCTIONS; CONSIDERING THAT ASIAN COUNTRIES AND AUSTRALIA 
HAVE NOT IMPOSED SANCTIONS, AN EU SANCTIONS REGIME IS 
INEFFECTIVE.  EARLIER THIS YEAR THE EU COMPROMISED AND 
DELAYED IMPLEMENTATION OF A STRICTER REGIME UNTIL OCTOBER. 
THE DELAY ALLOWS FOR A ONE-TIME EU TROIKA (CURRENT EU 
PRESIDENT, FUTURE EU PRESIDENT, AND CFSP HIGH REP) TO VISIT 
RANGOON IN AN ATTEMPT TO CONVINCE THE GOB TO EASE 
RESTRICTIONS ON THE OPPOSITION. 
 
3.  (C) DELLA SETA SAID THAT THE GOI DOES NOT HAVE HIGH 
EXPECTATIONS FOR THE TRIP, DELAYED (BUT NOT CANCELED) BY THE 
ATTACK ON ASSK AND HER SUPPORTERS FRIDAY MAY 30.  THE EU 
DELIVERED A DEMARCHE ON JUNE 9, AND PLANS TO ISSUE A JOINT 
DECLARATION IN THE COMING WEEKS.  DELLA SETA ALSO SAID THERE 
IS A STRONG POSSIBILITY THE EU WILL IMMEDIATELY IMPLEMENT THE 
STRONGER SANCTIONS PLANNED FOR OCTOBER.  HE NOTED THAT THE 
    ITALIAN MFA BELIEVES THE GOB IS NOT RESPONSIVE TO THE 
CONCERNS OF THE EU.  THE REAL PLAYERS ARE CHINA, INDIA, 
PAKISTAN, AND THE U.S.  THE GOI WOULD LIKE TO SEE ASEAN 
INCREASE ITS PRESSURE ON THE BURMESE GOVERNMENT, BUT 
RECOGNIZES THE CULTURAL RELUCTANCE ON THE PART OF ASEAN 
NATIONS TO "MEDDLE" IN THE INTERNAL AFFAIRS OF PARTNER 
COUNTRIES.  DELLA SETA POINTED OUT A JOINT DECLARATION BY 
MALAYSIAN PM MAHATHIR AND JAPANESE PM KOIZUMI, WHICH HE SAID 
WAS CRITICAL OF THE GOB'S ACTIONS, AS A POSSIBLE POSITIVE 
STEP.  DELLA SETA SAID HE WOULD BE IN TOUCH WITH THE ITALIAN 
EMBASSY IN WASHINGTON TO INSTRUCT THEM TO COORDINATE CLOSELY 
WITH THE STATE DEPARTMENT. 
 
4.  (C) COMMENT: DELLA SETA'S BRIEF DISCOURSE ON THE HISTORY 
OF EU-BURMA SANCTIONS WAS INTERESTING.  HOWEVER, AS HE SAID, 
ITALY HAS NO CONCRETE INTERESTS (ECONOMIC OR POST-COLONIAL) 
IN BURMA AS DOES FRANCE.  AS THE INCOMING EU PRESIDENT, THE 
GOI IS INTERESTED IN CLOSE COORDINATION WITH THE U.S. TO 
MAXIMIZE PRESSURE ON THE GOB AND LEVERAGE THE EU'S ADMITTEDLY 
SMALL INFLUENCE.  END COMMENT. 
SKODON 
 
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 2003ROME02585 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL