UN's Burma envoy optimistic
Wednesday, 14 Nov 2007 11:00
There has been some progress on the streets of Yangon
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The military junta controlling Burma has made positive progress in addressing the concerns of the United Nations, Ibrahim Gambari has said.
The UN envoy to the south-east
Asian country made the upbeat assessment to the security council in his report on progress in Burma since the government brutally crushed pro-democracy protests in late September.
Mr Gambari said 2,700 political prisoners had been released, soldiers had been taken off the streets and the curfew imposed after the protests had been lifted.
But he warned that several developments he had hoped for had not taken place, including the lifting of restrictions on opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
"In order to succeed, dialogue will require flexibility on all sides, but I am convinced that it is the only way forward for Myanmar," he said.
The junta has already allowed Ms Suu Kyi to release a statement and meet with members of her National League for Democracy (NLD) party.
Mr Gambari said negotiation between opposition and government had to take place to meet the expectations of the international community.
"In today's world, no country can afford to stay outside the irreversible trends towards stability, prosperity and democracy, and it is the responsibility of every government to listen to its people, respond to legitimate popular demands and respect in full the human rights of its citizens," he added.