Patience on Burma is running out : UN Chief

Patience on Burma is running out : UN Chief

Visiting United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon urged Monday the Burmese military junta to make progress in democratization and protection of human right as the international community's patience is running out.

He did not say what to do if the international community really lost the patience.

The junta should allow opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi to engage with senior level of its leadership for the political dialogue leading to democracy and national reconciliation, he said.

The UN Secretary General was in Thailand between Sunday and Tuesday for an official visit to honor His Majesty the King's 80th birthday anniversary. He discussed situation in neighboring Burma with Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont during a bilateral meeting.

[listen to the press conference]

The UN through the special envoy Ibrahim Gambari has made a small progress in engaging the junta leaders to have political dialogue with Aung San Suu Kyi, Ban said.

The junta's appointment deputy labor minister Aung Kyi as a liaison minister between Aung San Suu Kyi and the authorities was regarded a good start, he said.

"I would like again to emphasis that the return to status-quo is not acceptable and it is politically unsustainable," the UN chief Ban told a press conference.

Military crackdown in September to a massive protest in Burma that killed a score of protesters raised international concerns. The UN chief commissioned Gambari to seek solutions to end political stalemate. He urged the Asean, of which Burma is also a member, to continue its role in engaging Burma's leaders and fully support the role of UN good office in pushing the military ruled country to democracy.

Prime Minister Surayud said Thailand would take rotating chairmanship of the Asean next year and would have a chance to hold a summit between the UN and the Asean to discuss the matter late next year.

By Supalak Ganjanakhundee

The Nation