More International Pressure in 2009: Burmese Diplomat

By WAI MOE

Burma’s top diplomat at the United Nations says he expects more UN pressure from Western governments for national reconciliation in 2009.

Burma’s UN representative, Kyaw Tint Swe, said in a confidential report to Burma’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs that there will be pressure on Burma at the UN Security Council, particular from Western countries. Also, he said, the West will have more influence in the Security Council when Japan and Uganda replace Indonesia and South Africa in January.

“Western countries could raise issues related to Burma at the Security Council by discussing and announcing a presidential statement in December,” he wrote, “and if the attempt doesn’t succeed, they could try again in January.” Kyaw Tint Swe wrote his report following a meeting of the “Friends of the Secretary-General on Myanmar,” held in on December 5.

The diplomat said in the report that if Burma cooperates with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s good offices role, countries such as Russia, China, Vietnam, Libya and other developing countries in Africa would probably continue to support Burma.

The diplomat also wrote that UN special envoy to Burma Ibrahim Gambari met with three Burmese diplomats—Kyaw Tint Swe, Than Swe and Tin Maung Naing—to explain the meeting of the “Friend of the Secretary-General on Myanmar.”

Gambari told Burmese diplomats that Ban called the meeting because of concerns expressed by some UN member countries as well as 112 former world leaders and lawmakers from Asian.

The Nigerian diplomat said Ban was disappointed with the lack of progress in achieving national reconciliation in Burma, according to the report.

Gambari reportedly said that Ban told the gathering that he would temporarily suspend his good offices mission, and there were strong objections from Russia, China, India and Singapore.

Along with the United States and France, the United Kingdom also strongly criticized the role of the good offices mission at the meeting, Gambari told Burmese diplomats.

The “Friends of the Secretary-General on Myanmar” include the US, UK, China, Russia, France, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, the EU, India, Japan, Australia and Norway.

Gambari said that if there was progress in reconciliation in Burma before the new administration in the US, the US government’s Burma policy might be modified, according to the report.

The report said Western countries’ attempts to put the Burma issue before the UN Security Council were not successful because Russia, China, Vietnam and Indonesia supported the Burmese regime.

Kyaw Tint Swe’s accused Western countries of trying to eliminate the UN good offices mission on Burma because of its failure to achieve progress.

Even though there has been criticism and suggestions to replace Gambari, he is still in office with support from Russia and Asian countries, the report said.