Myanmar: General Assembly President calls for resumption of substantive talks

The President of the General Assembly today called on both the Government of Myanmar and the opposition to resume substantive dialogue without preconditions and without further delay, after meeting with the United Nations envoy who just returned from a visit to the South-East Asian nation.

On behalf of Assembly President Miguel d’Escoto, Vice-President Raymond Wolfe received a briefing by the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser, Ibrahim Gambari, on his 31 January to 3 February visit in the context of the good offices mandate entrusted to the Secretary-General by the Assembly.

The visit was Mr. Gambari’s fifth to the country in the past year and a half, and included meetings with Government officials and opposition and other political parties, including with detained pro-democracy leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

According to a statement issued by the President’s spokesperson, the President appreciated the importance all interlocutors in Myanmar attach to the good offices process.

He encouraged the Government “to seize this opportunity to further demonstrate its commitment to cooperating with the Secretary-General’s good offices through tangible results in response to the specific suggestions made by the Special Adviser during his visit.”

The statement also reaffirms the Assembly’s continued engagement to promote national reconciliation, democracy and respect for human rights in Myanmar as mandated by the its resolutions, and reiterated the President’s continuous support for the Secretary-General’s good offices and for Mr. Gambari’s efforts.

The Special Adviser is scheduled to brief the Security Council tomorrow on his visit.