Agenda Item 9: Question of the violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms in any part of the world. "...Since the inception of the Burmese democracy movement, we have upheld dialogue as an integral part of the democratization process and in the protection and promotion of human rights - both as an objective and an instrument. We are therefore cautiously encouraged by the ongoing talks between the State Peace and Development Council, the current government of Burma, and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, 1991 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, since October 2000. We fully appreciate the efforts of the UN Special Envoy, UN Human Rights Special Rapporteur and the international community, especially our neighbors, in keeping that process alive. However, we are disappointed to see that measures conducive to normalizing the political atmosphere to progress the political dialogue have still been either ignored or taken on at a very slow pace..."