Security Council meets to discuss lack of progress in Myanmar The Security Council on Thursday deplored the slow progress in initiating democratic reforms in Myanmar and pressed for an early visit to the country by UN mediator Ibrahim Gambari.
After huddling with Gambari, the 15 council members said in a statement that they "regretted the slow rate of progress so far toward" meeting objectives they set out last October, a month after Myanmar's military junta crushed the biggest pro-democracy protests in nearly 20 years.
Underscoring the importance of "further progress" toward the goal of reconciliation between the military regime and the opposition, they noted that "an early visit by Mr. Gambari could help facilitate this."
Gambari, the UN's pointman in efforts to foster reconciliation between the military government and the opposition, said all council members stressed, during closed-door consultation "the need to accelerate progress."
Gambari has visited Myanmar twice since the bloody military crackdown in September.
At least 15 people were killed and 3,000 arrested in the September violence, which sparked global outrage against the regime with the United States and the European Union tightening sanctions against the country's top rulers.
Gambari said he asked to return to Myanmar this month but was told by authorities that an April visit would be more convenient for them.
Gambari said all council members supported an "early visit as a means to engage the government of Myanmar in all areas of concern."
Last October, the Security Council adopted a non-binding statement calling for "the early release of all political prisoners and remaining detainees," including opposition leader and Nobel Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.
US Ambassador to the UN Zalmay Khalilzad told reporters after the meeting that "in order for success to be achieved, we need to increase the pressure" on the military regime.
He stressed the need to "reduce the gap between where things are and where they need to be" in terms of democratic reforms, full respect for human rights, an end to forced labor and to repression of ethnic minorities.
Khalilzad specifically urged countries with influence on Myanmar, such as China, India and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to persuade the military regime to cooperate with Gambari.
Last September's crackdown was sparked by protests against a steep rise in fuel prices a month earlier, which rapidly escalated into demonstrations against the military regime which has ruled Myanmar for decades. — AFP
After huddling with Gambari, the 15 council members said in a statement that they "regretted the slow rate of progress so far toward" meeting objectives they set out last October, a month after Myanmar's military junta crushed the biggest pro-democracy protests in nearly 20 years.
Underscoring the importance of "further progress" toward the goal of reconciliation between the military regime and the opposition, they noted that "an early visit by Mr. Gambari could help facilitate this."
Gambari, the UN's pointman in efforts to foster reconciliation between the military government and the opposition, said all council members stressed, during closed-door consultation "the need to accelerate progress."
Gambari has visited Myanmar twice since the bloody military crackdown in September.
At least 15 people were killed and 3,000 arrested in the September violence, which sparked global outrage against the regime with the United States and the European Union tightening sanctions against the country's top rulers.
Gambari said he asked to return to Myanmar this month but was told by authorities that an April visit would be more convenient for them.
Gambari said all council members supported an "early visit as a means to engage the government of Myanmar in all areas of concern."
Last October, the Security Council adopted a non-binding statement calling for "the early release of all political prisoners and remaining detainees," including opposition leader and Nobel Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.
US Ambassador to the UN Zalmay Khalilzad told reporters after the meeting that "in order for success to be achieved, we need to increase the pressure" on the military regime.
He stressed the need to "reduce the gap between where things are and where they need to be" in terms of democratic reforms, full respect for human rights, an end to forced labor and to repression of ethnic minorities.
Khalilzad specifically urged countries with influence on Myanmar, such as China, India and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to persuade the military regime to cooperate with Gambari.
Last September's crackdown was sparked by protests against a steep rise in fuel prices a month earlier, which rapidly escalated into demonstrations against the military regime which has ruled Myanmar for decades. — AFP
A picture provided by Myanmar News Agency shows Myanmar's detained democracy leader Aung San Suu Ky during a meeting in Yangon, in 2007. The Security Council on Thursday deplored the slow progress in initiating democratic reforms in Myanmar and pressed for an early visit to the country by UN mediator Ibrahim Gambari.
News from TODAYonline.com(18-Jan-2008 02:48 hrs)
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