By Xinhua
Yangon : The Myanmar government has reaffirmed it will increase cooperation with the UN in international affairs in future, the official newspaper New Light of Myanmar reported Thursday.
The remark was made by a member of the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) Lieutenant-General Thiha Thura Tin Aung Myint Oo at a function to mark the UN 62nd Anniversary in Nay Pyi Taw Wednesday morning, before he was officially announced to be appointed as the country’s new Prime Minister in the evening.
Noting that Myanmar became a UN member after its independence in 1948, Tin Aung Myint Oo said the country has always been cooperating with the international body in its endeavours in international affairs, citing the establishment of some 10 major local UN offices in Myanmar such as UNDP, Unicef, UNHCR, ILO and WHO with a new UN Office for Project Service in Yangon opened this year.
On the occasion, Myanmar SPDC Chairman Senior-General Than Shwe also sent a message, calling on all UN member states to divert from regional or bilateral squabbles and unitedly contribute and work together under the UN coordination to meet the global challenges ahead.
The UN Country Team in Myanmar issued a statement expressing concern about the humanitarian situation in the country and calling for greater public expenditures in social sectors, an improved operating environment for international humanitarian organisations and a significant scaling up of international assistance to address the needs of the poor.
According to UN sources, Ibrahim Gambari, special envoy of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, and UN special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Myanmar Paulo Sergio Pinheiro have been permitted by Myanmar to visit the country again in November to continue with their UN mediation efforts for national reconciliation.