PETITION THE U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL (r)

[darnott@xxxxxxxxxxx]

Subject: Re:  PETITION THE U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL

Dear Dr Ne Oo,

I have just started to emerge from under my backlog from the 3 months I spent in Thailand and at the Commission on Human Rights in Geneva. I was not in New
York when you sent your request for SC members. I hope you got the info
from someone else.

My thoughts on approaching the UN is that the Burmese democracy movement
should have single voice. In concrete terms this means coordinating with
the NCGUB in the person of Dr Sein Win and his team, who have very clear
strategies in relation to the UN, and know the key players.

Security Council action on Burma is unlikely at this point for at least 
3 reasons:

	1. The Secretariat is engaged in Good Offices negotiations with 
SLORC, and the SC would not over-ride this procedure unless
	the Secretary-General asked them to.

	2. The SC would not involve itself over the Burma/Thailand border
	issue against the wishes of Thailand. Thailand does not even want
	the UNHCR involved officially, let alone Big Brother.

	3. The SC is otherwise occupied

There has been only one occasion in the past year or so when there was even a
remote possibility of Security Council action, and that was in early 92
when Begum Zia of Bangladesh came to New York seeking SC help on the 
issue of the Burmese army build-up on the Bangladesh border and the Rohingya
exodus. She had a 5-point draft resolution which she wanted the Security
Council to consider. The Secretary-General persuaded her that a better
approach would be for him to send a mediator to resolve the dispute and
begin the process that would lead to the voluntary return of the refugees.
As you know, Jan Eliasson was sent, and a Memorandum of Understanding finally
signed. My point is that even when the head of a neighbouring country asked
for SC action, the SG was very reluctant.

For the past 2 or 3 year, Amanda Zappia has very competently managed the
NCGUB delegation in New York. I am sure that discussions with her on how
best to get UN action on Burma would be fruitful.

Best wishes,

David Arnott

10 June 05