Press Release
SG/SM/9448
UN Secretary-General calls for immediate release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
ENGAGEMENT IN 'SUBSTANTIVE DIALOGUE' WITH NLD. OTHER
POLITICAL PARTIES
The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for Secretary-General
Kofi Annan:
One month has passed since
the National Convention, reconvened on 17 May by the State and Peace
Development Council (SPDC), was adjourned on 9 July. The
Secretary-General considers this to be an appropriate moment to comment on the
proceedings thus far, and to elaborate on the United Nations' expectations in
the future process.
The Secretary-General
accepts that
It is the
Secretary-General's judgement that the National
Convention does not currently adhere to the recommendations made by successive
resolutions of the General Assembly. The Secretary-General believes that,
unless and until the views of the National League for Democracy (NLD) and other
political parties are sought and considered, the National Convention and the
road map process will be incomplete, lacking in credibility and, therefore,
unable to gain the full support of the international community, including the
countries of the region.
The Secretary-General
believes that the recent statements and submissions reflecting on the rights
and powers to be exercised and shared at the
As a first step towards
democratization and national reconciliation, the Secretary-General calls on the
SPDC to make full use of the National Convention's adjournment by immediately
releasing Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and engaging the NLD and other political parties
in substantive dialogue on how they can work together for the benefit of the
people of Myanmar. It also remains essential for a mutually acceptable
agreement to be reached with the ethnic nationality ceasefire groups. The
Secretary-General further urges the SPDC to allow his Special Envoy to return
to
The Secretary-General
expects the countries of the region, including ASEAN member States, to take a
leading role in actively counselling the SPDC to
accelerate the process of democratization and national reconciliation. In
the event that verifiable progress occurs, he remains committed to taking
appropriate measures to underpin progress, in partnership with the
international community.