SECRETARY-GENERAL EMPHASIZES NEED FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF DAW AUNG SAN SUU KYI IN MEETING WITH MYANMAR’S DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER

SECRETARY-GENERAL EMPHASIZES NEED FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF DAW AUNG SAN SUU KYI IN MEETING WITH MYANMAR’S DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER

Following is the statement by Secretary-General Kofi Annan after the conclusion of his meeting this afternoon with U Khin Maung Win, Deputy Foreign Minister and Special Envoy of the Union of Myanmar:

My Special Envoy for Myanmar, Tan Sri Razali Ismail, and I met this afternoon with U Khin Maung Win, Deputy Foreign Minister and Special Envoy of the Union of Myanmar.

During the meeting, I expressed my grave concern about the safety and well being of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and other leaders of the National League for Democracy (NLD), who have been held incommunicado since the incident of 30 May.

I emphasized that they should be released without further delay and that it was the responsibility of the Myanmar Government to ensure the safety of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her NLD colleagues, in or out of detention.

I remain convinced that the only way to build durable peace in Myanmar is to release the detainees, ensure their political freedoms, and begin substantive dialogue with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi immediately.  To that end, I requested that the Government take the initiative and meet with her.

The Special Envoy promised me that he would convey these messages to Senior General Than Shwe, the Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council and Prime Minister of the Union of Myanmar.

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