Top UN official travels to Asia for talks on Myanmar

A senior United Nations official arrived in Singapore today for talks with the country’s authorities about the situation in Myanmar.

Vijay Nambiar, who serves as UN Chef de Cabinet, is visiting Asian nations in his capacity as Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s Special Adviser on Myanmar.

He arrived in Singapore from New Delhi, where he held talks with Indian officials, having met with Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao and National Security Adviser Shiv Shankar Menon.

Mr. Nambiar will travel to Beijing on Friday for further discussions with Chinese authorities.

Earlier this year, the Secretary-General called for “fair, transparent and credible elections” in Myanmar in which all citizens – including Nobel Peace Prize laureate and prominent opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi – can take part freely.

The polls are the first to be held in the country in two decades as part of a Government-designed timetable towards greater democratization.

Mr. Ban has also voiced concern over new electoral laws in Myanmar which do not meet UN expectations of what is required for an inclusive political process.

According to media reports, the new laws relate to the registration of political parties and prohibit anyone with a criminal conviction from being a member of an official party.