SECRETARY-GENERAL HOPES POLITICAL-PRISONER RELEASE WILL ADD MOMENTUM TO NATIONAL RECONCILIATION PROCESS IN MYANMAR

SECRETARY-GENERAL HOPES POLITICAL-PRISONER RELEASE WILL ADD MOMENTUM

TO NATIONAL RECONCILIATION PROCESS IN MYANMAR

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan:

The Secretary-General welcomes the release of political prisoners that began in Yangon, Myanmar, on Thursday, following a statement by the Government that    115 political prisoners would be freed, including many members of the National League for Democracy (NLD).

            During his visit, from 12 to 16 November, the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy, Razali Ismail, strongly urged the Government to release political prisoners in a large number at one time, so that more than 200 political detainees would have been released by the end of 2002.  The Secretary-General hopes this first large-scale release will provide fresh momentum for the national reconciliation process in that country.

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