Razali hopeful of Myanmar talks

Razali hopeful of Myanmar talks

YANGON (Reuters): UN envoy Razali Ismail ended a four day visit to Myanmar this week hopeful of progress in landmark talks between the military government and opposition, the United Nations said in a statement.

Razali left Myanmar on Thursday after a series of meetings with pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and the ruling generals refusing to comment on progress in the confidential talks, which have now been continuing in secret for 10 months.

"I can only say that I'm satisfied. I should not say anything more as negotiations are still under way," Razali told Malaysia's Bernama news agency.

The United Nations said in a statement Razali believed both sides involved in the talks wanted reconciliation.

"A United Nations envoy today confirmed that all parties to the conflict in Myanmar remained committed to the process of national reconciliation and expressed hope about the possibility of further progress in the ongoing talks between the government and the National League for Democracy (NLD)," the statement said.

Suu Kui's NLD won Maynmar's last elections in 1990 by a landslide but has never been allowed to govern. Instead, its members have been detained and harassed.

Suu Kyi, winner of the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize, has been under de facto house arrest for almost a year.

Diplomats in Yangon who were briefed by Razali have said the political dialogue in Myanmar has reached a sensitive stage.

Tensions between the two sides have eased in recent months and the military has released more than 150 political prisoners including two top NLD leaders.

NLD Chairman Aung Shwe and Vice Chairman Tin Oo were both released from de facto house arrest on the eve of Razali's arrival in Yangon in a move widely seen as a goodwill gesture by the military.

But there has been persistent speculation that the talks have hit an impasse.

Suu Kyi's refusal to attend an important official ceremony last month was interpreted by some diplomats as a signal that the talks had run into problems.

Despite the releases of NLD members, Amnesty International estimates there are still 1,500 political prisoners in Myanmar. The government insists it is committed to moving towards democracy, but that too fast a transition would risk anarchy and national disintegration.

Razali held talks with leaders of Myanmar's ethnic minorities, whose support for any transition in Myanmar would be vital.

Khun Tun Oo, leader of the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD), said Razali had appeared positive over the talks between Suu Kyi and the military.

"Mr Razali is becoming more optimistic about the ongoing talks," he told Reuters after meeting the UN envoy. The SNLD came in second in the 1990 elections.

The UN statement said Razali would report the results of his mission to Myanmar to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan when he visits New York in September.