United Nations: UN Secretary General Ban
Ki-moon has urged the Burmese military junta to release all
political prisoners including Aung San Suu Kyi, the popular
leader, who has spent 13 of the last 19 years under house
arrest.
A spokesman of Ban told reporters at the UN headquarters
in New York yesterday that the Secretary General met the
Permanent Representative of Myanmar to the United Nations
on Thursday.
During the meeting, Ban reiterated his clear expectation
and that of the international community, that the Burmese
government will give careful consideration to the implications
of any verdict in the trial of Aung San Suu Kyi and exercise
its responsibility to ensure her immediate release.
Ban also reiterated the international community`s high
expectations that the government of Myanmar will act in
Myanmar`s interest by taking timely and positive steps in
follow-up to the specific proposals which he made during
his recent visit to Myanmar, starting with the release of all
political prisoners, the spokesman said.
"After reporting the Secretary-General`s messages to his
authorities, the Permanent Representative of Myanmar informed
us that the verdict was being postponed," the UN spokesman,
Farhan Haq said.
Ban deplores Baghdad bomb attacks
New York: UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon
has strongly condemned the bomb attacks on five mosques in
Baghdad, that have left dozens dead and wounded.
Ban said, attacks against places of worship cannot be
justified by any political or religious cause.
"These attacks appear to be aimed at provoking sectarian
strife and undermining stability in Iraq," the Secretary
General said yesterday.
In a statement, Ban appealed to the Iraqi people to
remain steadfast in their efforts to resolve difference
through dialogue and achieve national reconciliation.
The United Nations is committed to helping the Iraqi
people in this important endeavour, Ban said.
Bureau Report
