UN envoy begins five-day visit to Myanmar

The top United Nations envoy to Myanmar kicked off his five-dray trip to the Asian nation today by meeting with Foreign Minister U Nyan Win.

Ibrahim Gambari, Special Adviser on Myanmar, also held meetings with diplomats, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Tripartite Core Group, comprising the UN, the Government of Myanmar and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

In addition, he was briefed by the UN Country Team on the first day of his visit, his fourth since the Government’s crackdown on peaceful protesters last summer.

“In accordance with his mandate, Mr. Gambari intends to meet with all relevant parties to the national reconciliation process, including all those whom he has met on previous occasions,” UN spokesperson Farhan Haq said in response to a reporter’s question about the Adviser’s schedule for the duration of his visit.

On his last trips to Myanmar, Mr. Gambari met with detained pro-democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the country’s senior leaders.

“This visit is the continuation of the Secretary-General’s good offices process that was led by led by Mr. Gambari over the past two and a half years, and follows the recent visit to Myanmar by the Secretary-General himself” in the aftermath of May’s devastating Cyclone Nargis, Mr. Haq said.