VZCZCXRO4501
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHNP RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHLO #0063 0120959
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 120959Z JAN 09
FM AMEMBASSY LONDON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0879
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHGO/AMEMBASSY RANGOON PRIORITY 0069

UNCLAS LONDON 000063 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EFIN ECON PREL PGOV BM EU UK
SUBJECT: UK WORKING WITH EU TO IMPROVE BURMA SANCTIONS 
 
REF: 2008 STATE 125635 
 
Action Request in Para. 3 
 
¶1. (SBU) The UK shares our goal of maintaining a united position on Burma, and is optimistic that under the Czech presidency, the EU will continue to strengthen its sanctions regime against the Burmese leadership.  Garret Roberts and Mark Butcher of the Foreign Office's International Organizations Office told us the Czech Republic is generally pro-sanctions in ideology, and likely to provide the impetus for additional measures against the regime.  Roberts said that now that the French are no longer handcuffed by the traditional neutrality of the Presidency, a concept the UK believes the Czechs will not adhere to as strongly as others, they will be active in support of stronger sanctions.  

¶2. (SBU) The British government agrees on the need to present a strong public argument for identifying a more targeted group of entities and individuals for sanctions than the 1,200 named in Annex I.  HMG does not want the exercise to delete Annex I to appear to be a backpedaling, but they ultimately support replacing it with a more manageable list. Their staff in Rangoon, which created the original list of 1,200, is trying to cull this down to a group that can have maximum impact, Butcher told us.  The pressure to revise the list comes from financial institutions, which complained about keeping track of all the parties, particularly when some begin the name-change game.  Butcher said the overall mood in the EU is to delete Annex I due to its unwieldy nature, and not to weaken sanctions. In fact, he said the mood seems to be to strengthen measures.  The British are hoping for a "straight rollover" of the EU sanctions regime when the current one expires in late April, but Butcher acknowledged this would depend on the situation on the ground now in Burma.  HMG is not currently considering incentives to the Burmese regime, but other Member States are.  

¶3. (SBU) Action request: HMG has requested any USG review of the implementation and effectiveness of the Jade Act. For the UK to consider pushing forward with similar measures, they would like to know what has worked, and whether any new bureaucratic mechanisms were created.  Visit London's Classified Website: XXXXXXXXXXXX
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