SECRETARY-GENERAL, BRIEFING SECURITY COUNCIL, CALLS MYANMAR’S …RANT MEETING WITH JAILED OPPOSITION LEADER A LOST OPPORTUNITY 13.07.

7.09 23:59

13 July 2009

Security Council
SC/9704

Department of Public Information • News and Media Division • New York

Security Council
6161st Meeting (AM)

SECRETARY-GENERAL, BRIEFING SECURITY COUNCIL, CALLS MYANMAR’S REFUSAL

TO GRANT MEETING WITH JAILED OPPOSITION LEADER A LOST OPPORTUNITY

The refusal by Myanmar’s senior leadership to allow Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to meet with
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was not only a deep disappointment, but also a major lost opportunity for the
country, he told the Security Council today.

Briefing the Council on his recent visit to Myanmar, he said that allowing such a meeting would
have sent a constructive, conciliatory signal inside the country and abroad. He said that, during two
meetings with Senior General Than Shwe, the Head of State, and one with General Thein Sein, the Prime
Minister, he had made special proposals with a particular focus on three outstanding concerns that could
undermine confidence in the political process if not addressed: the release of all political prisoners,
including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi; the resumption of a substantive dialogue between the Government and
the opposition; and the creation of conditions conducive to credible and legitimate elections in 2010.

He went on to say he had proposed that the senior leadership enhance cooperation with the
United Nations to address pressing development needs through a broad-based process involving all
sectors of society. Empowering the people to participate in development was equally important for
stability, democracy and prosperity, and in order to ensure that Myanmar benefited fully from, and
contributed to, the regional and global economy. “I have made clear my expectation, and that of the
international community, that the Government needs to deliver on the promise to make the 2010 elections
inclusive, free and fair, and to take necessary steps on my specific proposals in the very near future.”
Senior General Than Shwe had pledged to ensure the elections were free and fair.

Before leaving Myanmar, the Secretary-General continued, he had been able publicly to reiterate
a dual twofold message in a keynote speech to a large and diverse audience in Yangon: that, while
Myanmar had a unique and complex history, the challenges it faced as a country in transition were
neither exceptional nor insurmountable; and that the choice in the coming days and weeks would be for
Myanmar’s leadership to meet their responsibilities or fail their own people. “The world is now watching
closely whether they will choose to act in the best interest of their country or ignore our concerns and
expectations and the needs of their people.”

Myanmar’s representative responded by saying that the utmost had been done to accommodate
the Secretary-General’s requests, except the one for a meeting with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi due to the
Special Court’s independent jurisdiction over the matter. The Secretary-General had discussed
Myanmar’s social and economic development at length with the Prime Minister, who had noted that some
States had imposed economic sanctions on the country instead of providing assistance and cooperation.
The Government intended to implement all appropriate recommendations proposed by the Secretary-
General, including on such matters as amnesty for prisoners and technical assistance for the elections.

Myanmar’s acceptance of the Secretary-General’s good offices mission, as well as his two visits
in just over a year, were important milestones of its cooperation with the United Nations. His recent visit
had been successful, whereas undue pressure from the outside, without full comprehension of the
challenges facing the country, would not be conducive to its home-grown political process. Myanmar
posed no threat to international peace and security, therefore, no Council action was warranted.

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In the ensuing discussion, Council members stressed the importance of, and expressed support
for, the role that the United Nations could play through the Secretary-General’s good offices. While
disappointed that he had been unable to meet with Aung San Suu Kyi, most speakers underlined the
necessity of the unconditional release, not only of the Nobel Peace Laureate, but also of all other political
prisoners in order to make the process leading to the 2010 elections free, transparent and participatory.

However, some speakers said the Secretary-General’s failure to meet with the opposition leader
should not be the only criterion by which the success of his visit should be judged. The authorities had
made gains towards the goal of a democratic society through implementation of a seven-step road map,
of which the holding of general elections in 2010 would be an important step. The country’s internal
affairs should be handled by the Government, in consultation with the population and with the assistance
of the international community, some speakers said, welcoming the involvement of the Association of
South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN).

China’s representative described the Secretary-General’s visit as significant and that its positive
outcome deserved a fair assessment by the international community, adding that it would be unfair to turn
a blind eye to the progress that Myanmar had made. As an Asian country and a neighbour, China fully
understood Myanmar’s challenges, the biggest of which was development. In addition, armed groups
inside the country had not yet signed peace agreements with the Government. National unity and
reconciliation were, therefore, another big challenge. Hopefully the international sanctions against
Myanmar would be lifted, which was necessary for the creation of an enabling environment for
development. Events occurring inside Myanmar were internal matters that posed no threat to international
peace and security.

The representative of the United Kingdom emphasized, however, that the visit had been an
opportunity for the Government to transform its relationship with the international community, and its
failure to take that opportunity only served to isolate the regime further. Without improvement in the
situation, including an acceptable outcome to the trial of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the international
community must react firmly, he stressed.

France’s representative added that that the Myanmar Government had not only done nothing to
meet the Council’s demands, but it had taken decisions to counter those demands. A genuine process of
national reconciliation was a precondition of which the release of Aung San Suu Kyi was an essential
part. However, the current impasse was no reason for the international community to do nothing. While
the Council must respond firmly if she was found guilty, inaction must not be the price of a unified
response.

Also making statements were the representatives of Mexico, Japan, United States, Austria, Viet
Nam, Russian Federation, Croatia, Turkey, Libya, Costa Rica, Burkina Faso and Uganda.

The meeting began at 11:38 a.m. and adjourned at 1:19 p.m.

Background

Meeting to consider the situation in Myanmar, the Security Council heard a briefing by the
Secretary-General on his recent visit to that country.

Briefing

BAN KI-MOON, Secretary-General of the United Nations, commended the Council and the Group
of Friends on Myanmar for supporting his 3-4 July visit to Myanmar and his good offices in that regard.
The trip’s objective was to engage the country’s senior leadership directly on several serious and long-
standing concerns which could not be left unaddressed at the current critical stage of Myanmar’s
transition. Given the attention on the ongoing trial of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and on the eve of
Myanmar’s first election in 20 years, it was necessary to raise those concerns and extend United Nations
assistance to advance national reconciliation, democracy, respect for human rights and sustainable
development. “The refusal of the senior leadership to allow me to meet with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was
not only a deep disappointment, but also a major lost opportunity for Myanmar,” he said.

Allowing such a meeting would have sent a constructive, conciliatory signal inside the country and

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abroad, he continued. During two meetings with Senior General Than Shwe and one meeting with the
Prime Minister, General Thein Sein, there had been extensive discussions on the need for Myanmar to
take meaningful steps on the five-point agenda developed in the context of the Secretary-General’s good
offices, and on humanitarian issues. He had made special proposals with a particular focus on three
outstanding concerns that could undermine confidence in the political process if left unaddressed: the
release of all political prisoners, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi; the resumption of a substantive
dialogue between the Government and the opposition; and the creation of conditions conducive to
credible and legitimate elections.

It was essential to address those concerns in order to ensure that the political process was
inclusive and served the interest of all Myanmar’s people in a way that could be broadly accepted by the
international community, he stressed, adding that he had met with registered political parties and ethnic
ceasefire groups, and shared their views with the authorities. Encouraging both groups to remain
constructive in the political process, he said any successful transition would require overcoming
Myanmar’s twin legacy of political deadlock and civil conflict. It was in everyone’s interest to ensure that
any gains made thus far were irreversible. The Government was primarily obligated to address the
concerns of all stakeholders, but every stakeholder had a role to play.

The Secretary-General said he had witnessed the progress made over the past year in recovery
and reconstruction of cyclone-affected areas of the country, thanks to unprecedented cooperation
between Myanmar, the United Nations and the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN). In all
his meetings, he had stressed the need to consolidate and build on those efforts to ensure that assistance
in the Delta was expedited and that humanitarian access was expanded to reach all vulnerable groups
nationwide. There was no justification for the Government to allow humanitarian access to some people
and not others.

He said he had proposed to the senior leadership that it enhance cooperation with the United
Nations to address pressing development needs through a broad-based process involving all sectors of
society. Empowering the people to participate in development was equally important for stability,
democracy and prosperity, and in order to ensure that Myanmar benefited fully from and contributed to the
regional and global economy. “My visit offered the clearest signal of the United Nations’ commitment to
work with the Government and people of Myanmar to address issues that are of fundamental importance
for the prospects of durable peace, democracy and development,” he said. “What is more important is
not so much what I came back with, but what I left behind with the authorities.”

The Secretary-General, continued: “I have made clear my expectation and that of the
international community that the Government needs to deliver on the promise to make the 2010 elections
inclusive, free and fair, and to take necessary steps on my specific proposals in the very near future.” In
that connection, Senior General Than Shwe had pledged to make the elections free and fair. It was
necessary to ensure the credibility of the process and to demonstrate concretely Myanmar’s commitment
to cooperate with the international community.

Before leaving Myanmar, he said, he had had the opportunity publicly to reiterate all his
messages in a keynote speech to a large and diverse audience in Yangon. His message had been
twofold. While Myanmar had a unique and complex history, the challenges it faced as a country in
transition were neither exceptional nor insurmountable. None of the challenges facing Myanmar today !!
political, humanitarian, development !! could be addressed on its own and failure to address them with
equal attention could undermine prospects for durable peace, democracy and prosperity. Myanmar was
not alone. Continued support for the Secretary-General’s good offices and encouragement !! particularly
from neighbouring and ASEAN countries !! to the Myanmar authorities was even more important and
necessary.

While welcoming the continuing support for his efforts from G-8 leaders and from the Group of
Friends of Myanmar, he said ultimately it was the people of Myanmar who would bear the cost of any lack
of engagement and cooperation by their Government with the United Nations and the international
community. That was why Myanmar’s leaders had a responsibility to their people and the international
community to respond to his proposals. The choice in the coming days and weeks would be for them to
meet that responsibility or fail their own people, he said, stressing that “the world is now watching closely
whether they will choose to act in the best interest of their country or ignore our concerns and
expectations and the needs of their people”.

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U THAN SWE (Myanmar), noting that the Secretary-General’s visit to his country had been the
second in just over a year, said the utmost had been done to accommodate his requests, except the one
for a meeting with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. In his meetings with Senior General Than Shwe, the
Secretary-General had expressed the views of the United Nations and the international community, while
the Senior General had thoroughly explained the developments of Myanmar’s political process,
highlighting the Government’s two most important priorities: to hand over State power to a civilian
Government after the 2010 general elections, and to lay a foundation for future socio-economic
development. He had assured that the 2010 general elections would be free, fair and credible, and that
he would arrange for participation of all citizens.

He said the Head of State had been willing to arrange a meeting between the Secretary-General
and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, but had not been able to do so because the Special Court had independent
jurisdiction over the matter, as had been clearly explained. Arrangements had been made for the
Secretary-General to meet with leaders and representative of 10 officially registered political parties,
including the National League for Democracy, and former armed groups. On his request, a public “Thank
you event” had also been arranged by the Myanmar Government.

He said the Secretary-General had discussed Myanmar’s social and economic development at
length with the Prime Minister, noting that some States had imposed economic sanctions on the country
instead of providing assistance and cooperation. Regrettably, official development assistance per capita
was less than $3, which was minimal compared to that of other similar countries. The Prime Minister had
stressed that such policies hindered development and had had an impact mainly at grass-roots levels. It
would be more constructive if the international community viewed the situation of Myanmar in a wider
perspective.

The Government of Myanmar intended to implement all appropriate recommendations proposed

by the Secretary-General he said. It was processing amnesty granted to prisoners on humanitarian
grounds, with a view to enabling them to participate in the general elections. With regard to the National
Economic Forum, the Government would cooperate with the United Nations in the agriculture, livestock
and fishery sectors and on technical assistance for the elections. The State would enact the political party
registration law and election law in due time. Myanmar’s acceptance of the Secretary-General’s good
offices role, as well as his two visits in just over a year, were important milestones of cooperation
between Myanmar and the United Nations. The Secretary-General’s visit had been a successful one.

Today, Myanmar was steadfastly proceeding on its chosen path to democracy, he said, adding
that the challenges it faced were complex and multifaceted. Surrounded by countries with different
political systems, cultures and religions, Myanmar was a multi-ethnic and multi-religious country, which
must be neutral and seek harmony with its neighbours for the stability of the region. Undue pressure from
the outside without full comprehension of the challenges facing the country would not be conducive to its
home-grown political process. Myanmar was making significant strides in national reconsolidation and
democratization processes. As the country was not a threat to international peace and security, no
Council action was warranted.

PHILIP PARHAM (United Kingdom) said that, by going to Burma, the Secretary-General had
demonstrated the commitment of the United Nations to progress in the areas of democracy, human rights
and development. The United Kingdom welcomed the Secretary-General’s unambiguous messages on
the need for political reform, which reflected the international community’s concerns. Council statements
had set out what must happen, including the release of political prisoners !! in particular Daw Aung San
Suu Kyi !! and the resumption of dialogue with all political parties !! including the National Democratic
Party !! and ethnic groups.

Echoing the Secretary-General’s disappointment that he had not been allowed to meet with Daw
Aung San Suu Kyi, particularly at the time of a trial that was a judicial travesty, he said she had an
essential role to play in establishing democracy in the country. The Secretary-General’s visit was an
opportunity for the Government to transform its relationship with the international community, and its
failure to take that opportunity only served to isolate the regime further.

If there was no improvement, including an acceptable outcome to the trial of Daw Aung San Suu
Kyi, the international community must react firmly, he stressed, urging the regime to engage constructively
to meet the international community’s concerns. The United Kingdom remained committed to work with
partners to start a reconciliation process in Burma, and supported the good offices of the Secretary-

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General. The Government’s road map and the elections would have no credibility if the political
prisoners, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, could play no part.

CLAUDE HELLER (Mexico) said the Secretary-General’s visit had taken place at a propitious
time. It had not only enabled him to assess the status of rebuilding in the country following Cyclone
Nargis, but also to assess the situation leading up to general elections in 2010. Reconstruction efforts,
made thanks to cooperation among the United Nations, ASEAN and the Government of Myanmar, through
the Tripartite Core Group, as well as the donor community, must continue. However, there were many
political challenges to ensuring that the 2010 elections would be transparent and fully inclusive. They
must be aimed at facilitating a peaceful transition towards democracy and reconciliation, with a priority on
strengthening the rule of law and human rights.

The elections should not only have the support of the Government, but also that of all registered
political parties and any rebel groups that had shown readiness to lay down their weapons, he said.
Mexico hoped that the Government would create the conditions necessary for dialogue with ethnic
minorities in order to facilitate national reconciliation. All political prisoners must be released as soon as
possible as their participation in the elections would guarantee the credibility and legitimacy of the
electoral process. Mexico would have preferred that Senior General Than Shwe had allowed the
Secretary-General to visit Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who remained under house arrest. The Government
now had an opportunity to strengthen the national reconciliation process, which would allow people to
enjoy their civil and political rights, consolidate peace and lay the groundwork for economic development.

Expressing concern about the constant flow of refugees from Myanmar into Thailand, he urged all
regional actors to take the necessary measures to ensure that the more than 100,000 refugees would
have adequate protection and shelter. Mexico was also concerned about the situation of child soldiers,
since Government efforts to address that issue thus far had been insufficient. The Government should
cooperate with the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict in
ensuring that child soldiers were reunited with their families and reintegrated into civilian life.

JEAN-MAURICE RIPERT (France) said that, although the Secretary-General had conveyed the
expectations of the international community, the Government had unfortunately refused to cooperate and
had not allowed him to visit Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. It had, therefore, indicated its rejection of a national
reconciliation process. The international community had shown its readiness to work constructively to
support reconciliation and development with strict respect for sovereignty, but the hand that the Secretary-
General had offered had been ignored.

He said the Council had set out clear and precise expectations, the first of which was the rapid
release of all political prisoners. However, their number had increased instead. Far from initiating a
dialogue with political parties and ethnic groups, the authorities had unilaterally implemented a road map
which had led to increased politicization. Not only had the Government done nothing to meet the
Council’s demands, it had taken decisions to counter those demands. A genuine process of national
reconciliation was a precondition of which the release of Aung San Suu Kyi was an essential part.
However, the current impasse was no reason for the international community to do nothing. The Council
must respond firmly if she was found guilty, but inaction must not be the price of its unity.

YUKIO TAKASU (Japan) stressed his country’s support for the Secretary-General’s good offices,
which it had conveyed to the Government of Myanmar in close dialogues. The Government had been
implementing a road map for democratization, which was now at a crucial stage with international
attention focused on the trial of Aung San Suu Kyi. The Secretary-General had called for the release of
political prisoners, the resumption of dialogue, the holding of elections in 2010, improvements in human
rights, national reconciliation and the establishment of a National Economic Forum. Japan was
disappointed that the Secretary-General had not been able meet with Aung San Suu Kyi, but his visit as
a whole had been very useful. The Secretary-General was, after all, one of the few political leaders who
could convey the concerns of the international community to the highest level of the Myanmar leadership.

He said the Secretary-General had had a full and detailed exchange of views with the leadership
on the concrete steps that must be taken. It was also significant that the Secretary-General had been
able to meet with representatives of all political parties, including the National Democratic Party, and to
make a public address. Hopefully Myanmar would seriously consider all international concerns and come
up with a positive response. The Government should match words with deeds. Regarding Aung San
Suu Kyi, Japan appealed to the Government to take appropriate and lenient action. For the international

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community, it was important to respond positively with concrete steps. The Secretary-General’s good
offices did not end with one visit, and Japan would continue to lend its support.

ROSEMARY DICARLO (United States) expressed hope that the Burmese Government would
implement all the Secretary-General’s recommendations. While the Secretary-General had been able to
meet with Senior General Than Shwe, the United States was strongly disappointed that the authorities
had turned down his request to meet with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and awaited a response to the
challenges that the Secretary-General had presented. If the authorities failed to address those
challenges, they would miss a critical opportunity. The current path led neither to democracy nor to
stability, and the people would be the ones to suffer. There could be no free and fair elections while key
opposition leaders, including Ms. Suu Kyi, and more than 2,000 political prisoners languished in prison.
The authorities were clearly not respecting the popular will by putting the opposition leader on trial.

It was troubling that the authorities continued to fail to address grave human rights challenges,
including the plight of refugees fleeing into Thailand she said, adding that the failure raised a red flag
about the treatment of ethnic groups. Such problems could not be resolved by plans that lacked
legitimacy, which could only be achieved through a genuine dialogue, including with the opposition and all
ethnic groups. The United States recognized the crucial contribution of the Tripartite Core Group in the
wake of Cyclone Nargis and called for the granting of visas to aid workers. The Secretary-General had
called for immediate Government action to avoid more wasted lives, missed opportunities and prolonged
isolation. The United States could not agree more. The Government must understand that those around
the Council table stood ready to help. It had called cooperation with the United Nations a cornerstone of
its foreign policy, and now was the time for it to match its words with deeds.

THOMAS MAYR-HARTING (Austria) noted with great concern that, during the past year, the
human rights situation in Myanmar had deteriorated significantly. Daw Aung Sang Sui Kyi had been
detained as consequence of an alleged breach of her house arrest, which, according to the United Nations
Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, violated international and Myanmar law. Recent intense fighting in
the east had forced thousands of civilians to flee to neighbouring States. Such developments did not
bode well for Myanmar’s plans for a peaceful transition to democracy. The areas covered during the
Secretary-General’s visit !! the release of all political prisoners, the resumption of substantive and time-
bound dialogue, and the creation of an environment conducive to free and fair elections, national
development and humanitarian assistance !! were of great relevance.

Expressing disappointment with the Government’s decision to deny the Secretary-General a

meeting with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, he said the Government had missed an important opportunity to
demonstrate effective cooperation and political openness. Austria urged the Government to immediately
and unconditionally release Ms. Suu Kyi and all political prisoners and detainees. Concerned about the
high level of poverty and human suffering in Myanmar, Austria strongly commended the efforts of the
Government, the United Nations and ASEAN, in the framework of the Tripartite Core Group, to respond to
Cyclone Nargis, and hoped that spirit of openness would be applied to future practical issues relating to
humanitarian aid, development cooperation and the proposed creation of a national economic forum.

BUI THE GIANG (Viet Nam) said the Secretary-General’s visit had confirmed the role of the
United Nations as a key mediator, as well as its commitment to helping the Government and people of
Myanmar with a broad-based, forward-looking package. All activities scheduled for the visit had been
realized, except one. Viet Nam regretted, but understood from the local legal perspective, the Secretary-
General’s inability to meet with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. The Secretary-General’s meeting with the
Tripartite Core Groups was very important as it added value to the successful cooperation between the
United Nations, ASEAN and the Government of Myanmar.

He said the visit had proved to be a meaningful step in a process that was needed in order for
Myanmar to become a peaceful, stable and prosperous country. The people of Myanmar would
determine their own destiny in that process, but international assistance would be effective if it was based
on engagement and cooperation with the Government and people, as had been the case in the context of
the seven-step road map towards democracy and national reconciliation. Viet Nam supported a
comprehensive approach to address the root causes of the country’s problems, which lay in poverty and
economic underdevelopment. United Nations agencies and donors should and could play a more active
role in that regard. Viet Nam also supported the Secretary-General’s good offices.

VITALY CHURKIN (Russian Federation), describing the Secretary-General’s visit as timely, noted

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that he had met twice with the Head of State, as well as with other Government leaders and opposition
representatives, including the National League for Democracy. He had also visited regions affected by
Cyclone Nargis and been allowed to speak publicly. Although he had hoped to meet with Aung San Suu
Kyi, the fact that he had not been able to do so should not be the only criterion for judging the visit. He
had conveyed the importance of democracy and reaffirmed the international community’s readiness to
provide assistance.

He said the good offices mission was a process, noting that many of the issues concerned could
not be resolved immediately. The Russian Federation counted in that regard on the constructive efforts of
Ibrahim Gambari, the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser. Myanmar was preparing for general elections,
which was the latest stage in implementing its road map towards democracy. Assurances had been
given that all political parties could participate in the elections. Grateful for the Secretary-General’s
personal role in the good offices mission, the Russian Federation would continue to provide that mission
with the necessary assistance.

RANKO VILOVI! (Croatia) said he was particularly interested to learn about the impressions that
the Secretary-General had drawn from his meeting with ethnic minority groups, and about the status of
humanitarian and reconstruction efforts in the Delta since his first visit since Cyclone Nargis. Croatia was
encouraged by the good cooperation involving the Government of Myanmar, the United Nations and
ASEAN in that regard, but was deeply concerned about the human rights situation in the country. Given
the complexity of the political situation, that was further complicated by the ongoing trial of Daw Aung San
Suu Kyi.

The Secretary-General’s visit also served an important purpose in laying out a vision for
Myanmar, he said, adding that it showed that the Government had a choice on how to proceed. Croatia
regretted deeply that the leadership had chosen not to use the unique opportunity of the Secretary-
General’s visit to work towards reform, and strongly urged the authorities to use his good offices mission
and to cooperate by releasing all political prisoners, resuming the dialogue and reconciliation process, and
creating the conditions for free and fair elections.

LIU ZHENMIN (China) noted that some media and certain countries were not happy that the
Secretary-General had not met with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, but the Secretary-General had met with
many other people. Meeting with her as well should not be used as a criterion for assessing the success
of his visit. General Than Shwe had not made arrangements for the Secretary-General to meet with her
and the United Nations must respect that decision by a Member State. During his visit, the Secretary-
General had held in-depth dialogues with top leaders and that would play an important role in
encouraging the democratic process. He had also had extensive contacts with other groups.

The Secretary-General’s visit had been significant and its positive outcome deserved to be
assessed fairly by the international community, he said, noting that Myanmar would soon hold its first
general election in 20 years. That would not have been possible without the Secretary-General’s good
offices. It would be unfair to turn a blind eye to the progress Myanmar had made. The international
community should make a balanced assessment. As an Asian country and a neighbour, China fully
understood Myanmar’s challenges. A least developed country, it was self-sufficient in agriculture, but
most of its people were yet to reap the benefits of industrialization. Development was the country’s
biggest challenge. Armed groups inside the country had not yet signed peace agreements with the
Government. National unity and reconciliation were, therefore, its biggest challenge.

It was obvious that Myanmar’s problems could not be addressed in a Western manner, he said,
expressing hope that the Government would steadily reform and lead its people towards economic
prosperity, and that the international community would fairly assess the country’s challenges. China
hoped the international sanctions against Myanmar would be lifted, which was necessary for the creation
of an enabling environment for development. Events occurring inside Myanmar were internal affairs that
should be handled by the Government, as they posed no threat to international peace and security.
China was against isolating and sanctioning Myanmar and its position in that regard remained
unchanged. It was to be hoped that ASEAN and other countries in the region would work together to help
Myanmar address its difficulties.

FAZLI ÇORMAN (Turkey) welcomed some positive developments in the political and economic
domains, including the ceasefire agreements with armed groups and the facilitation of external trade and
investment. However, there was a need for more substantive and tangible progress on the protection of

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human rights and political freedoms. The 2010 elections would be a critical test, and ought to be free and
fair. All political parties should be allowed to campaign for and participate freely in those elections. The
Government should also establish the necessary conditions for national reconciliation.

He said it was unfortunate that, as a leading opposition figure, Aung San Suu Kyi had spent
13 years under house arrest, adding that her trial raised important question marks yet again. The
Government’s refusal to allow the Secretary-General to visit her was not a welcome development and it
was high time it heeded the repeated appeals of the Council and released all political prisoners, which
was essential for the establishment of a political environment conducive to dialogue, conciliation and
mutual respect. Turkey hoped all parties would seize the historic opportunity presented by the 2010
elections to embark upon an irreversible track towards national reconciliation and peace.

IBRAHIM DABBASHI (Libya), while expressing disappointment that the Secretary-General had
not been able to meet with Aung San Suu Kyi, said he understood the Government’s views. The
Secretary-General’s good offices efforts had nevertheless led to real and positive developments. The
Government had promised to move forward, among other things, on the commitment to continue its
seven-step road map and to announce, at the right time, the date for the 2010 elections. There was a
need to continue dialogue with the Government in order to urge the release of all political prisoners,
including Aung San Suu Kyi, and a resumption of dialogue with political parties, including the National
League for Democracy, while respecting human rights. Coordination between the United Nations and
ASEAN was important in order to bring about tangible results.

He said his country had always stressed that the internal affairs of States must be dealt with
through constructive dialogue between the Government and other parties concerned, with the assistance
of the international community. Libya commended in that regard the role undertaken by ASEAN and
affirmed its support for the Secretary-General’s good offices mission. Hopefully Myanmar would soon
achieve democracy, development and national reconciliation. The country’s future was in the hand of its
people alone and all should work together to ensure that that future would be a prosperous one.

JORGE URBINA (Costa Rica) expressed displeasure over the behaviour of the Myanmar
Government, saying it was disturbing that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was on trial while the number of
political prisoners remained consistently high. There was need for a gradual change from a policy of
sanctions and isolation towards a model of greater cooperation and opportunity that would lead to
inclusive dialogue, reconciliation and democracy. That change required the Government to work actively
towards reform. Lasting peace and economic development depended on participation and joint action.

Welcoming the statement by the representative of Myanmar that the Government was giving
priority to a transfer of power to a civilian Government in 2010, he said the political process must respect
the rights of all people and provide guarantees for everyone’s freedom. Political repression and the denial
of rights could not continue. Costa Rica called on the Government to release all political prisoners and
restore the rights of Ms. Suu Kyi. There was an urgent need to reinvigorate the national reconciliation
process, which was fundamentally important for any future economic development. Costa Rica also
stressed the need for greater access to international humanitarian assistance.

BONAVENTURE KOUDOUGOU (Burkina Faso) thanked the Secretary-General for breathing new
life into the reconciliation and democratization process, and welcomed his meeting with Senior General
Than Shwe and development partners. It was regrettable, however, that it had not been possible for the
Secretary-General to meet with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, he said, urging the Government to release all
political prisoners, establish an ongoing dialogue with all political actors and create an enabling
environment for the 2010 elections. In light of the importance of those elections, there was a need for
appropriate legislation to create a competent structure to manage those elections.

He said he was encouraged by the Government’s commitment to the elections, as expressed

earlier by Myanmar’s representative, and welcomed the meeting between the Council and the Tripartite
Core Group regarding reconstruction in the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis. Burkina Faso was encouraged
by the Government’s efforts to further facilitate humanitarian access to the affected zones, and called on
the Government to facilitate implementation of the national economic forum, with a focus on agriculture
and development. It was encouraging that several armed groups had chosen to observe the ceasefire,
and others were encouraged to follow suit and join the political process.

RUHAKANA RUGUNDA (Uganda), Council President, spoke in his national capacity, stating that

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elections, step five of the Government’s seven-step road map to democracy, would be an important stage
as they would contribute to democratization. The Government should ensure that the elections were free,
transparent and inclusive. Uganda called on the Government and parties to pursue dialogue and
reconciliation and for the unconditional release of all political prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi.

* *** *

For information media • not an official record

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