UN envoy meets Burma's Suu Kyi
Thursday, 08 Nov 2007 13:52
UN envoy to Burma Ibrahim Gambari holds talks with Aung San Suu Kyi
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The United Nation's special envoy to Burma has held talks with detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
The discussions mark the second time Ibrahim Gambari has met with the Nobel laureate since pro-democracy protests were crushed earlier this autumn.
According to reports Mr Gambari and Daw Suu Kyi met at a state guesthouse after the National League for Democracy leader was transported from her home in Yangon, where she has spent much of the last 18 years under house arrest.
Although Mr Gambari was able to meet with Daw Suu Kyi and senior members of Burma's ruling junta, it is understood that he was barred from an audience with army chief General Than Shwe.
The UN said its envoy's suggestion that he mediate in talks between junta leaders and opposition politicians had been knocked back.
"While taking note of the views of the [Burmese] government, Mr Gambari stressed that a return to the status quo before the crisis would not be sustainable," the world body said.
"[Mr Gambari] suggested specific steps for Myanmar to meet international expectations in this regard."
Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets across Burma in September in protest at the country's military rulers.
Despite being warned that the eyes of the international community were fixed on the south-east
Asian country, the junta responded by detaining thousands of demonstrators – including Burma's revered Buddhist monks – and opened fire on crowds, killing at least ten people.