- News>
- Asia
UN Envoy meets Myanmar Opposition, says he`s optimistic
UN envoy Razali Ismail held talks on Wednesday with top aides of democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, and said that he is still optimistic about ending a political deadlock pitting the opposition against the military regime.
UN envoy Razali Ismail held talks on Wednesday with top aides of
democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, and said that he is still optimistic about ending a political deadlock pitting the opposition against the military regime.
Razali went to Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party headquarters for
talks with party leaders that lasted an hour.
"We had a good discussion. It helps me in my work," Razali told reporters
outside. He declined to elaborate.
NLD secretary and spokesman U Lwin also sounded optimistic. "We had a very useful discussion and the results of the discussions are very
encouraging," he told reporters.
Razali arrived in Yangon on Tuesday on his sixth visit to broker an end to the
deadlock, resulting from the military junta's refusal to allow an elected
government to take power.
Asked if he was more optimistic about his visit this time, Razali said, "I
continue to be optimistic about the eventual outcome."
Myanmar, also known as Burma, has been ruled by the military since 1962. The current group of generals came to power in 1988 after leading a bloody crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrations.
The junta called elections in 1990 but refused to honor the results when the NLD won an overwhelming victory. Instead hundreds of NLD activists were jailed and Suu Kyi has been under house detention for the last one year.
Razali, a former Malaysian diplomat, facilitated face to face talks between the junta and Suu Kyi, which started in October 2000. The contents of the talks have been kept secret and no breakthrough has been reported.
U Lwin, the NLD spokesman, said that the slow speed of the talks should be accepted with patience.
"We have already waited one year," he said, adding that he was hopeful there would be some positive outcome in the future. He didn't elaborate.
On Tuesday, Razali met with Foreign Minister Win Aung and leaders of four ethnic political parties during which he said his latest visit is aimed at speeding up the reconciliation talks. Asked, if he had told the ethnic leaders there could be some tangible results by next year, Razali said, "We never discuss the roadmap or any date."
Bureau Report
Myanmar, also known as Burma, has been ruled by the military since 1962. The current group of generals came to power in 1988 after leading a bloody crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrations.
The junta called elections in 1990 but refused to honor the results when the NLD won an overwhelming victory. Instead hundreds of NLD activists were jailed and Suu Kyi has been under house detention for the last one year.
Razali, a former Malaysian diplomat, facilitated face to face talks between the junta and Suu Kyi, which started in October 2000. The contents of the talks have been kept secret and no breakthrough has been reported.
U Lwin, the NLD spokesman, said that the slow speed of the talks should be accepted with patience.
"We have already waited one year," he said, adding that he was hopeful there would be some positive outcome in the future. He didn't elaborate.
On Tuesday, Razali met with Foreign Minister Win Aung and leaders of four ethnic political parties during which he said his latest visit is aimed at speeding up the reconciliation talks. Asked, if he had told the ethnic leaders there could be some tangible results by next year, Razali said, "We never discuss the roadmap or any date."
Bureau Report