SECRETARY-GENERAL URGES AGREEMENT ON PARTICIPATION IN MYANMAR NATIONAL CONVENTION

SECRETARY-GENERAL URGES AGREEMENT ON PARTICIPATION IN MYANMAR NATIONAL CONVENTION

Following is the text of a statement attributable to the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan:

The Secretary-General is disappointed to learn that an agreement has not been reached for the participation of the National League for Democracy (NLD) and some other ethnic nationality parties in the National Convention due to begin on 17 May.

He believes that the opportunity represented by the National Convention should not be missed.  He therefore urges all parties concerned, even at this late hour, to make every effort in the next two days to reach an agreement, taking into account suggestions made by the NLD and by other political and ethnic nationality parties, and to move the democratization and national reconciliation process forward.

The Secretary-General reiterates his call for the removal of all the remaining restrictions imposed on Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her deputy, U Tin Oo, and the reopening of NLD offices, so that the National Convention can be reconvened in an all-inclusive manner with all political parties, including the NLD and ethnic nationality parties.

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