UN envoy meets Suu Kyi, leaders, urges democracy

United Nations, May 21: A special UN envoy met Myanmar's pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, the first foreigner to see her since 2004.

UN Undersecretary General for Political Affairs Ibrahim Gambari yesterday met Ms Suu Kyi , who has been under house arrest since 2003.

The UN envoy on a three-day visit to Myanmar, earlier, held talks with the leader of the military junta Senior Gen Than Shwe. He also held discussions with other high officials, completing a round of wide-ranging deliberations, the first high-level engagement between the country and UN in more than two years.

Mr Gambari met Gen Shwe in Nay Pyi Daw, the newly built capital city in a forest area. Following his return to Yangon, he met Ms Suu Kyi.

The envoy urged all the stakeholders to engage in an inclusive political process for the benefit of the country and its people, a UN spokesman said here.

Mr Gambari also held extensive discussions on the humanitarian challenges that Myanmar faces, particularly the need to establish an enabling environment for humanitarian actors, including access.

''He placed particular emphasis on the continuing conflict in Kayin State and the need to protect civilians,'' the spokesman said.

US President George Bush renewed broad sanctions against Myanmar for failure in taking any strong measures towards restoring democracy or improving its record on the human rights front.

''These actions and policies are hostile to US interests and pose a continuing unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States,'' Mr Bush had said in a statement on Thursday to the US Congress.

On Friday, Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda of Indonesia echoed the American call for reform by urging key trading partners like Beijing, New Delhi and Seoul to use their influence to coax the secretive junta to allow more democracy.

UNI