SECRETARY-GENERAL’S SPECIAL ENVOY ARRIVES IN MYANMAR

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

The Special Envoy of the Secretary-General to Myanmar, Ambassador Razali Ismail, arrived in Yangon today, June 6.  His instructions from the Secretary-General are to meet with senior members of the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi as well as National League for Democracy (NLD) Central Executive Committee members.  The Secretary-General continues to be gravely concerned about the continued incommunicado detention of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and other leaders of the NLD, and is particularly troubled by reports of injuries suffered by them.  He fully expects that his Special Envoy will be allowed to meet all his interlocutors, and that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and other NLD members will be released without further delay. 

As of now, we do not have confirmation that the Government of Myanmar has agreed that the Special Envoy can meet with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.  However, the Special Envoy met with the Foreign Minister today, where he registered an official request that he be allowed to see her.  He is scheduled to meet General Khin Nyunt, Secretary-One of the SPDC, tomorrow, where he hopes to receive an official answer to his request.  At these meetings, he is emphasizing the need to release immediately all those detained since 30 May.  He will also convey the international community’s concern at the events of 30 May, and will impress upon his interlocutors the need to start a substantive dialogue between the Government and the NLD.

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