UN envoy to hold talks in Myanmar with all parties (Roundup)

http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/asiapacific/news/article_1456765.php/UN_envoy_to_hold_talks_in_Myanmar_with_all_parties__Roundup__

Asia-Pacific News


Jan 30, 2009, 16:56 GMT


New York/Yangon - The United Nations special envoy for Myanmar, Ibrahim Gambari, was to begin on Saturday a four-day visit to the country for talks on ongoing issues, the UN said Friday in New York.

Gambari was expected in Yangon on Saturday to revive his unsuccessful efforts to push Myanmar's ruling junta to free opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and thousands of other political prisoners and to allow democratic reforms in the military dictatorship.

The UN had been urging the military regime to free all political prisoners, including Suu Kyi, and launch democratic reform of its institutions.



Government sources in Yangon said Gambari's schedule would include a meeting with Suu Kyi, leader of the main opposition National League for Democracy (NLD), who has been under house arrest for more than 10 years.

'Mr Gambari looks forward to holding meaningful discussion with all parties on all the points he raised during his last visit,' said UN spokeswoman Marie Okabe.

Gambari received an invitation by the Myanmar government to pay another visit and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has asked him 'to continue his consultations with the government and other relevant parties in the implementation of the good offices' mandate entrusted to the secretary general by the UN General Assembly,' Okabe said.

On his last trip in August 2008, Gambari was denied an audience with military supremo Senior General Than Shwe. The UN special envoy also failed to meet with Suu Kyi, who has been under house arrest in her Yangon home since May 2003.

Suu Kyi reportedly judged a meeting then with Gambari as unnecessary as he had failed to meet with Than Shwe, the prime decision-maker in Myanmar.

It was unclear whether Gambari would be granted an interview with Than Shwe this trip, but government sources said the special envoy was scheduled to meet with Suu Kyi, NLD members and some government ministers based in Yangon, formerly known as Rangoon. Gambari was also scheduled to visit parts of the Irrawaddy Delta, which was devastated by cyclone Nargis in May last year.

The cyclone left 140,000 dead or missing, and 2.4 million in dire need of emergency assistance, the delivery of which was initially hampered by the military, but finally allowed in.