U.N. envoy arrives in Myanmar to discuss Ban visit
Jun 26th, 2009
By Aung Hla Tun
YANGON (Reuters) – United Nations special envoy Ibrahim Gambari arrived in military-ruled Myanmar Friday to explore the possibility of a visit next month by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
| An activist from Myanmar holds a placard during a protest demanding the release of Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, in front of the Myanmar embassy in Seoul June 26, 2009. A U.N. special envoy to Myanmar will fly to the army-ruled country on Friday, a Foreign Ministry official said, a visit aimed at laying the groundwork for a possible visit by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. The trip will be Ibrahim Gambari’s eighth to Myanmar and he is expected to arrive as the widely-condemned trial of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi resumes in Yangon. REUTERS/Jo Yong-Hak |
Gambari, making his eighth visit to the former Burma, left Yangon by car to travel 240 miles (385 km) to the country’s new capital Naypyidaw, a diplomat said.
The Nigerian was expected to meet Foreign Minister Nyan Win. It was not known if Gambari would see opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who is on trial in Yangon for breaching terms of her house arrest by allowing an American intruder to stay at her home last month.
“Gambari will meet with the foreign minister later this afternoon about the possibility of the visit of Ban Ki-moon,” the diplomat told Reuters.
“He’s spending tonight in Naypyidaw but we don’t know his further plans yet. We’re not sure whether he will get a chance to see Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.”
Suu Kyi’s trial, which sparked anger around the world, was adjourned Friday until July 3, when the court will hear the testimony of legal expert Khin Moe Moe, her lawyer Nyan Win said.
A higher court is yet to rule on an appeal against bans on two of Suu Kyi’s other defence witnesses, senior National League for Democracy (NLD) member Win Tin and the party’s detained vice-chairman, Tin Oo.
Critics have dismissed the case as a “show trial” aimed at keeping Suu Kyi out of planned multi-party elections next year.
She faces three to five years in prison if found guilty of violating a security law protecting the state from “subversive elements.”
Nyan Win said Suu Kyi was in good health but knew nothing of Gambari’s trip.
“She had not known about the visit of Gambari until we told her,” he told reporters.
Western diplomats at the United Nations said last week the junta had invited Ban, who has expressed a desire to meet the generals to press for democratic reform and the release of Suu Kyi and other political prisoners.
However, the diplomats, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said Ban was concerned the regime would use the visit for propaganda purposes to try to legitimise Suu Kyi’s trial.
(Writing by Martin Petty; Editing by Darren Schuettler and Alex Richardson)