SECRETARY-GENERAL ENCOURAGED BY COMMITMENT TO IMPLEMENT PLAN FOR DEMOCRATIC TRANSITION IN MYANMAR

SECRETARY-GENERAL ENCOURAGED BY COMMITMENT TO IMPLEMENT PLAN

FOR DEMOCRATIC TRANSITION IN MYANMAR

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

The Secretary-General welcomes the strong support expressed for the efforts of his Special Envoy, Mr. Razali Ismail, during the one-day meeting hosted by Thailand on 15 December to help facilitate democratic transition in Myanmar.  The Secretary-General is also encouraged by the commitment made by Foreign Minister Win Aung of Myanmar that the Myanmar authorities would implement their seven-step road map for the country’s democratic transition in an “all-inclusive” manner.  He welcomes the Government’s intention to reconvene the National Convention and draft a new Constitution in 2004.

The Secretary-General stresses the need for his Special Envoy to be allowed to visit Myanmar as soon as possible to help facilitate the participation of all the parties concerned, including representatives of the National League for Democracy and national ethnic groups in Myanmar’s road map process.

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