Annan to send envoy to Myanmar to help facilitate reconciliation process

An envoy of United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan will visit Myanmar next week to help facilitate the process of democratization and national reconciliation there, a UN spokesman said today in New York.

Razali Ismail, Mr. Annan's Special Envoy for Myanmar, will hold discussions with Government officials and representatives of the National League for Democracy, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

Mr. Razali's mission, from 1 to 4 June, will be his fourth official trip to Myanmar. It follows a visit last month by Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, who reported cautious optimism after attending three days of talks with Government and opposition party leaders.

Returning from that trip at the beginning of April, Mr. Pinheiro said that the Myanmar authorities had spoken with him about the possibility of having democratization, a civilian government and the guarantee of basic freedoms in the country. Mr. Pinheiro stressed that he was working to support Mr. Razali's efforts in trying to facilitate a dialogue between the Government and the opposition with the involvement of national minorities.