Ban Ki-moon Will Meet NLD Representatives

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will meet representatives of Burma’s opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) during his two-day visit to Burma, beginning on Friday. It is still not clear, however, whether the Burmese regime will accede to the UN chief’s wish to also meet detained pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

NLD spokesman Nyan Win told The Irrawaddy on Thursday that five representatives of the party will meet Ban. The Burmese authorities had approved of a meeting but had not yet set a time, Nyan Win said.

The NLD spokesman said he did not expect Ban’s visit to Burma would have any large impact on efforts to bring about positive changes.

The NLD’s executive committee discussed Ban’s upcoming visit on Wednesday.

Ban is scheduled to arrive in Rangoon on Friday and then travel to the capital, Naypyidaw, for a meeting with junta head Snr-Gen Than Shwe and other top generals the same day.

Ban is now in Japan, where he met on Wednesday with Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso.

After the meeting, Ban told reporters he would try to use his visit to Burma “as an opportunity to raise [in the] strongest possible terms and convey the concerns of the international community to the highest authorities of government.”

He said “three of the most important benchmarks would be, first of all, they should release all political prisoners, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.”

Ban said he would also tell the junta that the resumption of dialogue with the opposition was a necessary part of the national reconciliation process and he would urge the regime to create conditions conducive to credible elections in 2010.

Ahead of Ban’s trip to Burma, the New York-based Human Rights Watch said on Wednesday that the UN chief should press the junta to release all political prisoners and to engage in dialogue with the opposition. Ban should not give legitimacy to the 2010 elections, the group said.

“There is a real danger that Burma’s generals will try to use Ban’s visit to legitimize the 2010 elections,” said Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch in a statement.

irrawaddy