Print

Mail

wiki links

UN envoy seeks to visit Suu Kyi

A UN special envoy is awaiting permission from Myanmar's military regime to visit the country to determine the accuracy of reports that pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi has launched a hunger strike, an aide said yesterday.

Razali Ismail, a former Malaysian diplomat, has made the request but has no firm plans to travel until the Myanmar government agrees, said the aide, speaking on condition of anonymity.

"He would like to go back as soon as possible, but it is for them to invite him back in," the aide said. "He has requested, but he cannot just walk back in like that."

The US State Department earlier this week cited sources as saying that Suu Kyi, winner of the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize, had stopped eating to protest more than three months of detention.

Thailand's government said yesterday that, according to their sources, Suu Kyi was not on a hunger protest. Myanmar's ruling junta has dismissed Washington's claim as "groundless" and "quite odd."

Razali was quoted by Malaysia's national news agency, Bernama, as saying that he wants to hold talks with Myanmar's prime minister, Lieutenant-General Khin Nyunt, to find ways to resolve the country's conflicts.

"I have heard that the Myanmar prime minister has his own road map," Razali was quoted as saying in Kangar, northern Malaysia. "There are seven steps in the road map, but the details have not been given."

Razali did not know whether Suu Kyi's release was the first step on the road map, Bernama reported.

Suu Kyi was detained by the government following a clash between her supporters and a pro-government mob on May 30 that left an unknown number of people dead.
This story has been viewed 1877 times.