Razali hopeful of Myanmar talks<\/p>\n
YANGON (Reuters): UN envoy Razali Ismail ended a four day
\nvisit to Myanmar this week hopeful of progress in landmark talks
\nbetween the military government and opposition, the United
\nNations said in a statement.<\/p>\n
Razali left Myanmar on Thursday after a series of meetings
\nwith pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and the ruling
\ngenerals refusing to comment on progress in the confidential
\ntalks, which have now been continuing in secret for 10 months.<\/p>\n
\"I can only say that I'm satisfied. I should not say anything
\nmore as negotiations are still under way,\" Razali told Malaysia's
\nBernama news agency.<\/p>\n
The United Nations said in a statement Razali believed both
\nsides involved in the talks wanted reconciliation.<\/p>\n
\"A United Nations envoy today confirmed that all parties to
\nthe conflict in Myanmar remained committed to the process of
\nnational reconciliation and expressed hope about the possibility
\nof further progress in the ongoing talks between the government
\nand the National League for Democracy (NLD),\" the statement said.<\/p>\n
Suu Kui's NLD won Maynmar's last elections in 1990 by a
\nlandslide but has never been allowed to govern. Instead, its
\nmembers have been detained and harassed.<\/p>\n
Suu Kyi, winner of the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize, has been under
\nde facto house arrest for almost a year.<\/p>\n
Diplomats in Yangon who were briefed by Razali have said the
\npolitical dialogue in Myanmar has reached a sensitive stage.<\/p>\n
Tensions between the two sides have eased in recent months and
\nthe military has released more than 150 political prisoners
\nincluding two top NLD leaders.<\/p>\n
NLD Chairman Aung Shwe and Vice Chairman Tin Oo were both
\nreleased from de facto house arrest on the eve of Razali's
\narrival in Yangon in a move widely seen as a goodwill gesture by
\nthe military.<\/p>\n
But there has been persistent speculation that the talks have
\nhit an impasse.<\/p>\n
Suu Kyi's refusal to attend an important official ceremony
\nlast month was interpreted by some diplomats as a signal that the
\ntalks had run into problems.<\/p>\n
Despite the releases of NLD members, Amnesty International
\nestimates there are still 1,500 political prisoners in Myanmar.
\nThe government insists it is committed to moving towards
\ndemocracy, but that too fast a transition would risk anarchy and
\nnational disintegration.<\/p>\n
Razali held talks with leaders of Myanmar's ethnic minorities,
\nwhose support for any transition in Myanmar would be vital.<\/p>\n
Khun Tun Oo, leader of the Shan Nationalities League for
\nDemocracy (SNLD), said Razali had appeared positive over the
\ntalks between Suu Kyi and the military.<\/p>\n
\"Mr Razali is becoming more optimistic about the ongoing
\ntalks,\" he told Reuters after meeting the UN envoy.
\nThe SNLD came in second in the 1990 elections.<\/p>\n
The UN statement said Razali would report the results of his
\nmission to Myanmar to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan when he
\nvisits New York in September.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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