Annan hails encouraging signs from Myanmar Government on national reconciliation

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today welcomed recent encouraging signs from the Government of Myanmar on the national reconciliation process and urged that his Special Envoy be allowed to visit the country to help boost the participation of all parties concerned.

A statement issued in New York by a spokesman for the Secretary-General welcomed the strong support expressed for the efforts of his Special Envoy, Razali Ismail, during a one-day meeting Monday hosted by Thailand to help facilitate democratic transition in Myanmar.

The Secretary-General was also encouraged by the commitment made by Foreign Minister Win Aung that the Myanmar authorities would implement their seven-step roadmap for the country's democratic transition in an "all-inclusive" manner, according to the statement. "He welcomes the Government's intention to reconvene the National Convention and draft a new Constitution in 2004," it said.

The Secretary-General also stressed the need for his Special Envoy to be allowed to visit Myanmar as soon as possible to help facilitate the participation of all the parties concerned - including representatives of the National League for Democracy and national ethnic groups - in Myanmar's roadmap process.