Myanmar opposition welcomes UN debate on junta

YANGON, Sep 16 (Reuters) The party of detained opposition figure Aung San Suu Kyi today welcomed the United Nations' decision to add Myanmar to its list of nations that represent threats to international peace and security.

National League for Democracy (NLD) spokesman Nyan Win said putting the former Burma on the UN Security Council's agenda could help the push for national reconciliation of the country, ruled by the military in various guises since 1962.

''It surely is a step towards finding political solutions to our problems,'' said Nyan Win Suu Kyi has been in prison or under house arrest since May 2003.

''We believe it will certainly help pave the way for the national reconciliation in our country.'' A divided Security Council voted yesterday to add Myanmar to its agenda, deeming the military-ruled country a threat to regional and international peace and security.

Ten nations, including the United States, voted in favour of adding Myanmar to the council agenda, while China, Russia, Qatar and the Democratic Republic of Congo voted against it. Tanzania abstained.

The vote cleared the way for the United States to follow through on a promised push for a resolution on human rights in the isolated Southeast Asian nation, but US Ambassador John Bolton told reporters none was immediately planned.

Despite the opposition's welcome, some Myanmar analysts were cautious about the next move by other countries with the permanent seats in the council.

''The pragmatic ones will welcome it very, very cautiously. I think we need to wait to see what the Security Council will continue to do,'' political analyst Win Naing told Reuters.

''If Russia and China continue to veto further steps, there won't be any progress,'' he added.

China's UN Ambassador, Wang Guangya, told reporters after the vote it was ''preposterous'' to argue any nation threatened international peace and security simply because of its illegal drugs trade, high HIV infection rate and poor human rights record.

The Council's decision came as Myanmar's rulers are preparing to resume a constitution-drafting convention on October 10, the first of the seven steps in the political roadmap to democracy laid down by the ruling junta.

The NLD led other major opposition parties to boycott the convention.

REUTERS SY SSC1543