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Viewing cable 08SANJOSE349, DEMARCHE DELIVERED: BURMA'S FLAWED CONSTITUTIONAL
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VZCZCXYZ0006
PP RUEHWEB
DE RUEHSJ #0349 1261856
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 051856Z MAY 08
FM AMEMBASSY SAN JOSE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9669
INFO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0781
UNCLAS SAN JOSE 000349
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CEN AND EAP/MLS ACOPE.
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM BM CS
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED: BURMA'S FLAWED CONSTITUTIONAL
REFERENDUM
REF: 45471
¶1. This message contains an action request -- please see
paragraph 6.
¶2. Poloff delivered reftel demarche on May 2 to Juan Salas,
UN Security Council Desk Officer at the MFA. Salas answered
that Costa Rica supports democratic criteria in general and
voiced that the situation in Burma involves issues of human
rights in addition to ensuring a democratic referendum
process.
¶3. (SBU) Salas also commented that Costa Rica is supporting
the US draft of a second Presidential Statement. Later in the
conversation, however, he qualified his statement of support
by saying that Costa Rica is analyzing the draft, that Costa
Rica has no problem with its language, and that in general
Costa Rica is in agreement with it.
¶4. When asked if Costa Rica would be willing to make a
statement in advance of the May 10 referendum, Salas stated
that GoCR Ambassador to the UN Jorge Urbina would be the one
to make such a statement, which would entail a draft, and
that Salas would talk o Foreign Minister Stagno about doing
so and woud raise the rest of the talking points further up
the MFA chain.
¶5. Salas then asked what China' position is on the
referendum. Poloff relayed reftel points (paragraph 9)
regarding expressed opposition by Indonesia, Singapore and
the Phillipines to the drafting and referendum processes, as
well as the point that China, Russia and some ASEAN members
are welcoming the referendum as a sign of progress toward
reconciliation, however flawed and undemocratic it may be.
¶6. Finally, Salas asked specifically what types of sanctions
the US is considering imposing this week. Please advise what
our response should be, if any.
BRENNAN