United Nations envoy cautiously upbeat about progress on Myanmar

UNITED NATIONS – A UN envoy said he was making progress in nudging Myanmar’s military junta toward meaningful dialogue with the pro-democracy opposition and urged the Security Council to give his diplomatic mission time to succeed.

But Western countries said reports of arrests of prominent dissidents raised doubts about the regime’s sincerity. US Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad said Tuesday that the Security Council should not rule out the threat of sanctions if Myanmar does not follow through on promises to cooperate with the UN Veto-weilding members Russia and China, however, remained firmly opposed to such measures.The US and European council members also criticised Myanmar’s government for dictating special UN envoy Ibrahim Gambari’s schedule during his visit earlier this month and for denying him a meeting with junta chief Senior General Than Shwe.”What has happened does not reflect a fundamental shift,” Khalilzad told reporters during a break in the Security Council discussions.”We are of the view that both pressure and engagement have to be on the table …we do not rule out sanctions.”Gambari acknowledged there were “serious concerns” about “the willingness of the government to move forward in a new direction.”But he stressed that Myanmar’s regime had taken positive steps since brutally crushing pro-democracy protests in September, including lifting curfews, withdrawing troops from the streets and sending a Cabinet minister to meet with Aung San Suu Kyi, the pro-democracy leader and Nobel Peace prize winner who has long been under house arrest.”On balance, the positive outcomes of this latest mission show that the government of Myanmar, while stressing its sovereignty and independence, can be responsive to the concerns of the international community,” Gambari told the council in a briefing about his November 3-8 visit to Myanmar.”The situation is qualitatively different from what it was a few week ago.”All 15 Security Council countries welcomed “positive developments” stemming from Gambari’s efforts – including a statement made by Suu Kyi through the UN envoy saying she expected “meaningful and time-bound dialogue” to begin as soon as possible.But the council deplored ‘that many prisoners are still in jail and that new arrests have occurred’.It also expressed concern for the fate of detainees who remain unaccounted for.Gambari said the junta claimed to have released more than 2 700 people detained in the crackdown and assured him that political arrests would stop.But exiled dissidents in Thailand said on Tuesday that Myanmar security forces had arrested two anti-government activists – U Gambira, a Buddhist monk who helped lead the pro-democracy demonstrations, and Su Su Nway, a member of Suu Kyi’s party who has been on the run for more than two months.Nampa-APUS Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad said Tuesday that the Security Council should not rule out the threat of sanctions if Myanmar does not follow through on promises to cooperate with the UN Veto-weilding members Russia and China, however, remained firmly opposed to such measures.The US and European council members also criticised Myanmar’s government for dictating special UN envoy Ibrahim Gambari’s schedule during his visit earlier this month and for denying him a meeting with junta chief Senior General Than Shwe.”What has happened does not reflect a fundamental shift,” Khalilzad told reporters during a break in the Security Council discussions.”We are of the view that both pressure and engagement have to be on the table …we do not rule out sanctions.”Gambari acknowledged there were “serious concerns” about “the willingness of the government to move forward in a new direction.”But he stressed that Myanmar’s regime had taken positive steps since brutally crushing pro-democracy protests in September, including lifting curfews, withdrawing troops from the streets and sending a Cabinet minister to meet with Aung San Suu Kyi, the pro-democracy leader and Nobel Peace prize winner who has long been under house arrest.”On balance, the positive outcomes of this latest mission show that the government of Myanmar, while stressing its sovereignty and independence, can be responsive to the concerns of the international community,” Gambari told the council in a briefing about his November 3-8 visit to Myanmar.”The situation is qualitatively different from what it was a few week ago.”All 15 Security Council countries welcomed “positive developments” stemming from Gambari’s efforts – including a statement made by Suu Kyi through the UN envoy saying she expected “meaningful and time-bound dialogue” to begin as soon as possible.But the council deplored ‘that many prisoners are still in jail and that new arrests have occurred’.It also expressed concern for the fate of detainees who remain unaccounted for.Gambari said the junta claimed to have released more than 2 700 people detained in the crackdown and assured him that political arrests would stop.But exiled dissidents in Thailand said on Tuesday that Myanmar security forces had arrested two anti-government activists – U Gambira, a Buddhist monk who helped lead the pro-democracy demonstrations, and Su Su Nway, a member of Suu Kyi’s party who has been on the run for more than two months.Nampa-AP