Top UN official's advice to Myanmar on possible measures

United Nations, Nov 28 (UNI) Myanmar government should release political prisoners, open up political process and take ''concrete steps'' to focus on other areas of global concern, a top UN officer said after a meeting with the Security Council.

Mr Ibrahim Gambari, Undersecretary-General for Political Affairs briefed the powerful 15-member body yesterday on his four-day trip to the southeast Asian nation that ended earlier this month, during which he met key government officials, including Senior General Than Shwe as well as with Ms Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been under house arrest for 10 of the past 16 years.

''Five major issues that I raised (during my trip) were about political prisoners, humanitarian access, a more inclusive political process, the International Labour Organisation (ILO), and a cessation of hostilities against the ethnic minorities, particularly in Kayan state,'' Mr Gambari told reporters after presenting the council with a report on his mission.

''They need to release all political prisoners, in particular Aung San Suu Kyi. Now the ball is clearly in the court of the government -- we are just waiting for concrete action on their part.'' Earlier this month, the ILO's governing body expressed ''great frustration'' at Myanmar's failure to agree on how to deal with complaints of forced labour.

Mr Gambari said the authorities had taken ''some small steps'' since his previous visit in May, including the release of former officials from Ms Suu Kyi's party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), but he warned that the ''good offices'' process of the secretary-general towards Myanmar ''cannot be open ended''.

He added, ''And we are now waiting for the government to take further steps to respond to the concerns of the international community.'' Speaking later in the day, Security Council President Jorge Voto-Bernales of Peru, who holds the rotating presidency for this month, told reporters the members had ''expressed support'' for the secretary-general Kofi Annan and Mr Gambari's efforts on behalf of the UN in Myanmar and thanked them for their active engagement to help the country resolve its ''political, social and humanitarian problems.'' UNI XC AD MSJ HT1900