UN Chief Says He’s Frustrated by Lack of Progress on Burma

By SAW YAN NAING

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says he is frustrated by the Burmese government’s failure to take “meaningful steps” in response to appeals by the international community.

Ban Ki-moon told a New York news briefing on Monday: “It remains a source of frustration that meaningful steps have yet to be taken by the Myanmar [Burma] government in response to the concerns and expectations of the United Nations and the international community in the context of the good offices process.”

He said the role of the UN is to ascertain the positions of all political parties and help their efforts to collaborate through dialogue towards an equal process of national reconciliation and democratization, in accordance with the expectations of the world.

Ban Ki-moon also called for the release of all political prisoners, including detained pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, as well as a time-bound dialogue, to include all stakeholders in Burma, such as opposition parties, ethnic representatives and the Burmese generals.

The release of Suu Kyi and other political prisoners would be the key for the recommencement of an improved, all-inclusive substantive and time-bound dialogue, the UN chief said. “There is no alternative to dialogue to ensure that all stakeholders can contribute to the future of their country.”

Ban Ki-moon visited Burma in May shortly after Cyclone Nargis devastated large areas of the country. His schedule included a meeting with Burmese leader Snr-Gen Than Shwe, although no details were given about their talks.

A return visit in December is in doubt after Ban Ki-moon said he sees no tangible progress by the Burmese government in achieving UN-mandated goals.

Ban Ki-moon said that he would visit Burma only when he sees the possibility of achieving progress toward the goals the UN had set and when he was certain his visit would yield tangible results.

His special advisor, Ibrahim Gambari, has been to Burma several times, but his talks there have produced no movement towards political change.

Gambari’s last visit was in August, when he failed to meet with either Than Shwe or Suu Kyi.