UN political official meets with Chinese authorities on Myanmar

Ban Ki-moon’s Special Adviser on Myanmar, Ibrahim Gambari, is meeting today with senior Government officials in Beijing as part of wider consultations in the region on the situation in the South-East Asian nation, a spokesperson for the world body announced.

“This is a trip to discuss Myanmar with some of the key countries in the region,” UN Spokesperson Marie Okabe told reporters in New York.

“Any effort to promote positive changes in Myanmar is going to require not only direct dialogue with the Government and people of the country, but also dialogue with all interested countries and all who can potentially help support our efforts,” she stated.

Mr. Gambari met in Beijing with Vice-Foreign Minister Dai Binguo, Assistant Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai, and Director-General Wu Hailong.

Since being appointed Special Adviser in May, Mr. Gambari has consulted broadly on the situation in Myanmar, having visited Washington D.C two weeks ago and having travelled this week to the region.

Following talks in Beijing, he will travel to New Delhi and then to Tokyo for further meetings with Government counterparts before returning to New York over the weekend, Ms. Okabe added.