By Xinhua
Yangon : UN Special Envoy Ibrahim Gambari left here Thursday afternoon winding up his six-day Myanmar mission, the second for him, said the UN Information Center here.
During the visit, Gambari, who is UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s Special Adviser on Myanmar, met Prime Minister General Thein Sein and Aung San Suu Kyi, detained leader of the National League for Democracy (NLD), and government officials.
Shortly before his departure, Gambari met Aung San Suu Kyi for about an hour but details of the meeting were not immediately available. A UN statement said the detained democracy leader has authorized Gambari to make a statement on her behalf at the end of his mission.
Gambari had talks with the government’s four-minister team, led by Information Minister Brigadier-General Kyaw Hsan, but did not have an audience with top leader Senior-General Than Shwe, Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC).
During the meeting Prime Minister Thein Sein reiterated his government’s full support to, and confidence in, Gambari’s efforts and invited him to return to Myanmar in continuation of the good offices, the UN centre here said.
They had open and detailed discussions on ways to further improve Myanmar’s cooperation with the UN to address the country’s political, human rights, humanitarian and socio-economic challenges in the wake of the recent crisis.
Gambari suggested specific steps for Myanmar to meet international expectations, which include the need for a dialogue with the opposition without delay as part of an inclusive national reconciliation process as well as necessary confidence-building measures in the humanitarian and socio-economic areas, it said.
During the talks between Gambari and the Myanmar government, Kyaw Hsan strongly criticized foreign sanctions on the country, saying that the sanctions have resulted in delayed development of the nation.
“Collective attempts within and without the country to impose sanctions on investment, international financial assistance and loans, trade and tourism are one of the main causes in this matter,” he said, referring to the new sanctions imposed by the US, the European Union (EU) and Australia.
He expressed regret that Gambari has not mentioned that such sanctions are not appropriate and they should be lifted.
The spokesman rejected the formation of a poverty alleviation commission for Myanmar by the UN as proposed by Gambari, saying that the commission is not required if sanctions are lifted.
He said that Myanmar welcomes positive coordination and cooperation in its affairs, but will never accept any interference that may harm its sovereignty.
“All the sanctions are to be lifted and cooperation is to be made. Only then, the alleviation of such poverty will be possible,” he said.