ID :
43856
Tue, 02/03/2009 - 12:53
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/43856
The shortlink copeid
U.N. envoy meets Myanmar opposition icon Suu Kyi
YANGON, Feb. 2 Kyodo -
U.N. special envoy to Myanmar Ibrahim Gambari met detained opposition leader
Aung San Suu Kyi at a state guesthouse in Yangon on Monday, a day before ending
his four-day mission to the military-ruled country.
A convoy, guarded by two police trucks, carrying Suu Kyi entered the state
guesthouse on University Avenue where Gambari waited for their meeting,
witnesses said.
The meeting at the guesthouse lasted about an hour, with the leadership of Suu
Kyi's National League for Democracy also attending.
An NLD spokesman said Gambari sought the advice of Suu Kyi and the NLD
leadership on the possible holding of a U.N. forum on the Myanmar economy and
on the possibility of U.S. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon visiting the country.
But the NLD leadership said a visit by Ban would be unwelcome before Myanmar's
ruling generals release Suu Kyi and NLD Vice Chairman Tin Oo from detention.
''The NLD's current demands are to release all political prisoners including,
Aung San Suu Kyi and Tin Oo; to review the adopted constitution; to convene
parliament, and to hold a dialogue,'' the spokesman said.
Suu Kyi also told Gambari the ''rule of law'' no longer applies in Myanmar with
the junta sentencing political opponents to long jail terms, some reaching 100
years, and opposition lawyers being barred from court and being harassed.
As to the question of an economic forum on Myanmar, the NLD leadership said it
is completely outside the government and has ''no idea'' about the plan, the
spokesman said.
The security was heavy in the area of the state guesthouse, which is on the
same road as Suu Kyi's home.
This was the first time Gambari was able to meet Suu Kyi since March last year.
In his visit last August, he failed to meet with either Suu Kyi or junta chief
Sr. Gen. Than Shwe.
Gambari arrived in Yangon on Saturday morning as part of U.N. efforts to spur
democratic change in Myanmar.
This is his seventh visit to Myanmar since the Nigerian diplomat was appointed
to the post in 2006.
On Sunday, he met with the ''Spokes Authoritative Team,'' a group of ministers
representing the junta, as well as with Aung Kyi who acts as liaison minister
between Suu Kyi and the ruling generals, official media reported.
The contents of the various talks were not immediately available.
During a meeting with Yangon-based diplomats on Sunday evening, Gambari said he
came to Yangon to try to realize his objectives to secure the release of
political prisoners, including Suu Kyi, to bring about face-to-face dialogue
between her and the junta, according to diplomats who attended the meeting.
His visit is also intended to seek the appointment of a liaison officer between
himself and the junta and to discuss the country's ailing economy, Gambari was
quoted as saying.
Gambari added his mission objective also includes preparing the ground for a
possible visit by U.N. chief Ban to Myanmar in the future, the diplomats said.
Last month, however, Ban voiced growing frustration that the long-standing U.N.
efforts to promote national reconciliation and democratization in Myanmar have
yet to achieve results.
He urged the junta to immediately release all political prisoners and initiate
''genuine dialogue'' with the opposition.
''My good offices should not be seen as an end in itself, or as a justification
for inaction,'' Ban said while calling for ''concrete'' action by the junta to
back up its assertion that cooperation with the United Nations is a cornerstone
of its foreign policy.
''I am ready to visit any time, whenever I can have reasonable expectations of
my visit to be productive and meaningful,'' he said.
The junta has vowed to restore democracy based on a pro-military constitution
approved by referendum last year.
Multiparty general elections are supposedly set for next year.
But the opposition forces led by Suu Kyi's NLD say the approved constitution is
unacceptable.
Myanmar has been under military rule, in various forms, since 1962.
The current junta came to power after staging a coup in 1988 following a
massive crackdown on democracy protesters.
The NLD won the general elections in 1990, but the party was denied power by
the military.
Suu Kyi, the 63-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate, has herself been detained
for more than 13 of the past 19 years.
Gambari is to leave Yangon for Singapore on Tuesday after meeting Prime
Minister Gen. Thein Sein, according to official sources.
==Kyodo
U.N. special envoy to Myanmar Ibrahim Gambari met detained opposition leader
Aung San Suu Kyi at a state guesthouse in Yangon on Monday, a day before ending
his four-day mission to the military-ruled country.
A convoy, guarded by two police trucks, carrying Suu Kyi entered the state
guesthouse on University Avenue where Gambari waited for their meeting,
witnesses said.
The meeting at the guesthouse lasted about an hour, with the leadership of Suu
Kyi's National League for Democracy also attending.
An NLD spokesman said Gambari sought the advice of Suu Kyi and the NLD
leadership on the possible holding of a U.N. forum on the Myanmar economy and
on the possibility of U.S. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon visiting the country.
But the NLD leadership said a visit by Ban would be unwelcome before Myanmar's
ruling generals release Suu Kyi and NLD Vice Chairman Tin Oo from detention.
''The NLD's current demands are to release all political prisoners including,
Aung San Suu Kyi and Tin Oo; to review the adopted constitution; to convene
parliament, and to hold a dialogue,'' the spokesman said.
Suu Kyi also told Gambari the ''rule of law'' no longer applies in Myanmar with
the junta sentencing political opponents to long jail terms, some reaching 100
years, and opposition lawyers being barred from court and being harassed.
As to the question of an economic forum on Myanmar, the NLD leadership said it
is completely outside the government and has ''no idea'' about the plan, the
spokesman said.
The security was heavy in the area of the state guesthouse, which is on the
same road as Suu Kyi's home.
This was the first time Gambari was able to meet Suu Kyi since March last year.
In his visit last August, he failed to meet with either Suu Kyi or junta chief
Sr. Gen. Than Shwe.
Gambari arrived in Yangon on Saturday morning as part of U.N. efforts to spur
democratic change in Myanmar.
This is his seventh visit to Myanmar since the Nigerian diplomat was appointed
to the post in 2006.
On Sunday, he met with the ''Spokes Authoritative Team,'' a group of ministers
representing the junta, as well as with Aung Kyi who acts as liaison minister
between Suu Kyi and the ruling generals, official media reported.
The contents of the various talks were not immediately available.
During a meeting with Yangon-based diplomats on Sunday evening, Gambari said he
came to Yangon to try to realize his objectives to secure the release of
political prisoners, including Suu Kyi, to bring about face-to-face dialogue
between her and the junta, according to diplomats who attended the meeting.
His visit is also intended to seek the appointment of a liaison officer between
himself and the junta and to discuss the country's ailing economy, Gambari was
quoted as saying.
Gambari added his mission objective also includes preparing the ground for a
possible visit by U.N. chief Ban to Myanmar in the future, the diplomats said.
Last month, however, Ban voiced growing frustration that the long-standing U.N.
efforts to promote national reconciliation and democratization in Myanmar have
yet to achieve results.
He urged the junta to immediately release all political prisoners and initiate
''genuine dialogue'' with the opposition.
''My good offices should not be seen as an end in itself, or as a justification
for inaction,'' Ban said while calling for ''concrete'' action by the junta to
back up its assertion that cooperation with the United Nations is a cornerstone
of its foreign policy.
''I am ready to visit any time, whenever I can have reasonable expectations of
my visit to be productive and meaningful,'' he said.
The junta has vowed to restore democracy based on a pro-military constitution
approved by referendum last year.
Multiparty general elections are supposedly set for next year.
But the opposition forces led by Suu Kyi's NLD say the approved constitution is
unacceptable.
Myanmar has been under military rule, in various forms, since 1962.
The current junta came to power after staging a coup in 1988 following a
massive crackdown on democracy protesters.
The NLD won the general elections in 1990, but the party was denied power by
the military.
Suu Kyi, the 63-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate, has herself been detained
for more than 13 of the past 19 years.
Gambari is to leave Yangon for Singapore on Tuesday after meeting Prime
Minister Gen. Thein Sein, according to official sources.
==Kyodo
