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Junta leader refuses to meet UN special envoy to Myanmar

The UN's special envoy to Myanmar met detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi yesterday for a second round of talks, but the junta has denied requests for him to meet its powerful leader.

Ibrahim Gambari met Aung San Suu Kyi for almost an hour at the government's state guest house near her lakeside home in Yangon, Myanmar's largest city. Gambari also met on Saturday with Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been detained for 12 of the past 18 years. Details of the meetings have not been made public.

Gambari arrived on Thursday in Myanmar on his third mission to broker political reconciliation efforts and to urge democratic reforms since the crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in September.

The UN said one of Gambari's main goals for this visit was to speak directly with junta chairman Senior General Than Shwe. But the junta has denied the envoy's requests for a meeting, said several diplomats who met the envoy yesterday. Than Shwe also refused to meet Gambari during his last visit in November.

Gambari's departure date had not been set, but he was considering leaving later yesterday, the diplomats said, speaking on customary condition of anonymity.

The UN envoy has met with several government officials, representatives of minority ethnic groups and executive members of Aung San Suu Kyi's opposition National League for Democracy party.

Gambari hit several roadblocks in talks with government officials.

State-controlled media reported on Friday that the junta rejected a suggestion by Gambari to allow international observers to monitor an upcoming May referendum on a new constitution.

The junta also rejected the idea that Aung San Suu Kyi's opposition party should be allowed a role in drafting the new constitution.

Information Minister Kyaw Hsan said it would be "impossible" to rewrite the draft ahead of the referendum.

The junta announced last month that it would hold a constitutional referendum, followed by a general election in 2010 -- the first specific dates for steps in its previously announced "roadmap to democracy."

Critics say the constitution is a sham designed to cement military rule and prevent Aung San Suu Kyi from running for office.

The draft has not been made public, but guidelines on which it is based were drawn up by a military-guided convention and include clauses that would perpetuate the army's leading role in politics.
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