AP

Posted: 2007-11-12 13:39:33

NEW YORK, Nov. 12 (Kyodo) – U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon on Monday welcomed a process of dialogue launched by the Myanmar military government and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, a spokesperson for the U.N. chief said in a statement Monday.

The statement was issued after Ban had been briefed earlier in the day by his special adviser on Myanmar affairs Ibrahim Gambari on the outcome of his recent visit to the country. Gambari visited Myanmar on Nov. 3-8 for his second mission since the military crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators last September.

“As a result of this visit, a process has been launched that will hopefully lead to a meaningful and substantive dialogue with concrete outcomes within an agreed time frame,” the statement said. “The Secretary-General welcomes the willingness expressed by both sides to work with the United Nations to this end.”

“The Secretary-General reiterates that the return to the status quo that existed before the crisis is not sustainable and he encourages the Government and all relevant parties to redouble their efforts towards achieving national reconciliation, democracy and full respect for human rights,” it said.

Ban looks forward to his special adviser’s early return to Myanmar, “as part of an open and regular process of mutual engagement,” the statement said.

Gambari called for the junta last week to pursue a reconciliation process with Suu Kyi to help alleviate international condemnation of the generals after their bloody crackdown on Buddhist monks and ordinary citizens for weeks.

The junta announced on Oct. 4 that its top leader Senior Gen. Than Shwe would hold talks with Suu Kyi, who has been under house arrest for 12 of the past 18 years, if she abandons her confrontational stance and stops calling on other countries to impose sanctions.