VZCZCXRO2617
OO RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHGO #0175/01 0770814
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 180814Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY RANGOON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8788
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE
RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK 2842
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 2222
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RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 2081
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RUEHCI/AMCONSUL KOLKATA 0583
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2315
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 4329
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 000175 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/MLS; INR/EAP 
BANGKOK FOR USAID 
DEPT PLEASE PASS TO USAID/AME 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/18/2019 
TAGS:            
SUBJECT: BURMA:  TRIPARTITE CORE GROUP POWERS CURTAILED 
 
RANGOON 00000175  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
Classified By: P/E Chief Jennifer Harhigh for Reasons 1.4 (b and d). 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
 1.  (C)  UN Resident Coordinator Bishow Parajuli informed 
diplomats and aid officials March 18 that the Government of 
Burma has decided that the Tripartite Core Group (TCG) will 
no longer have the power to approve visas and extensions of 
stay for international staff engaged in Cyclone Nargis relief 
efforts.  Instead, such requests must be submitted through 
the senior-level Foreign Affairs Policy Committee (FAPC). 
Furthermore, according to Parajuli, the GOB is tightening 
procedures for international NGOs working in the Delta and 
international staff/diplomats traveling to those areas. 
INGOS which wish to continue work in the Delta beyond April 
30, 2009 must submit policy proposals by the end of March for 
the FAPC's approval.  Foreigners will now be required to 
request travel permission five days in advance, rather than 
three.  Parajuli said he is consulting with UN officials in 
New York and the ASEAN Secretariat on how best to challenge 
this setback for the TCG, which was just extended until July 
 2010.  End summary. 
 
TCG No Longer Empowered to Approve Visas 
---------------------------------------- 
 
 2.  (C)  UN Resident Coordinator Parajuli hastily convened 
diplomats and aid officials March 18 to give a read-out of 
his March 17 meeting with TCG Chair Kyaw Thu and a separate 
TCG meeting in Nay Pyi Taw.  He noted that the TCG had been 
dealt a serious setback, as it will no longer be empowered to 
approve visa and extension requests.  The FAPC, which is 
chaired by SPDC Secretary 1 Thiha Thura Tin Aung Myint Oo, 
had informed the TCG in writing March 12 that it would review 
all applications for visas and extensions.  Parajuli said he 
was told visa processing would take 2-3 weeks.  (Note:  In 
contrast, visas submitted through the TCG mechanism had 
sometimes been approved in as few as two days.  End note.) 
 
INGO Procedures, Travel Permissions Tightened 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
 3.  (C)  Parajuli reported that during a separate TCG meeting 
in Nay Pyi Taw, the Deputy Director General of the Ministry 
of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement (MSW) informed TCG 
members that all international NGOs that intend to continue 
work in the Delta beyond April 30, 2009 would need to submit 
project proposals to the FAPC.  (INGOs working in other areas 
of Burma first negotiate a Memorandum of Understanding with 
the appropriate Ministry.  The MOUs are then approved by the 
FAPC.  Following Nargis, the GOB allowed an exception to this 
procedure and did not require the FAPC to approve project 
agreements between INGOs and the MSW.  It now appears to be 
rescinding this exception.) 
 
 4.  (C)  The Ministry of Social Welfare also announced that 
foreigners wishing to travel to the Delta, including 
international NGO staff and diplomats, would need to submit 
travel permission requests five (vice three) days in advance 
because those requests would need to be submitted to "higher 
authorities." 
 
UN, ASEAN to Coordinate Response; Donors Outraged 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
 5.  (C)  Parajuli noted the obvious negative implications of 
these announcement on Burma's reputation and the ability to 
secure funding for the Post-Nargis Recovery and Preparedness 
 
RANGOON 00000175  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
Plan (PONREPP).  He expressed confidence that with the right 
amount of pressure it would be possible to have the new 
policies overturned and return to the status quo, noting that 
a similar tightening of procedures in June 2008 had been 
rescinded (no further information).  He said he is in touch 
with UN officials in New York and will be talking to ASEAN 
Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan in the next few days to 
review options.  Parajuli solicited donor ideas on how to 
best pressure the regime. 
 
 6.  (C)  The news provoked sharp reaction among donors.  The 
EU, German, Italian, Australian, and British joined us in 
condemning the "emasculation" of the TCG.  We agreed that 
without the power to ease access and approve visas, the TCG 
loses much of its utility.  The EU echoed our comments that 
such an announcement would have an impact on policy 
discussions in our capitals.  Donors reminded Parajuli that 
the success of the TCG is a key part of the argument that 
assistance can in fact be delivered and monitored effectively 
in Burma. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
 7.  (C)  It seems regime hardliners have carried the day in 
curtailing the TCG's mandate.  As a result, Delta access and 
NGO operations will become less efficient with the 
involvement of the FAPC (which also reviews our 
non-Delta-related visa requests); the question is whether 
they will also be curtailed.  As one donor representative put 
it, it seems the "Alice in Wonderland" days of the TCG are 
over and it's back to business as usual in Burma. 
 
 8.  (C)  If these policy changes have any chance of being 
rescinded, it is most likely through a concerted effort by 
ASEAN and UN, rather than through bilateral donor pressure. 
Nevertheless, the CDA and visiting MLS Director Blake will 
have an opportunity to raise this issue during a scheduled 
March 24 meeting with Foreign Minister Nyan Win.  We 
encourage the Department to consider avenues to engage ASEAN 
and the UN as well. 
VAJDA