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UN's Gambari's Trips to Myanmar
Questioned, Without Answers, Photo-Op With Aung
San Suu Kyi In Balance
Byline:
Matthew Russell Lee of
Inner City Press at the UN: News Analysis
UNITED
NATIONS, August 22 -- With
the UN's Special Envoy Ibrahim Gambari in Myanmar all week, UN
spokespeople
shifted from saying he would meet
with Aung San Suu Kyi, as he had on previous visits, to saying he would
like to. By week's end, two theories
emerged as to why the meeting, scheduled for Wednesday, did not take
place.
Either the military government blocked it -- Inner City Press asked the
UN spokesperson
Marie Okabe on Friday, but she would not say -- or Aung San Suu Kyi is
refusing
to meet with Gambari because his visits have not accomplished anything
and, as
such, may even be hurting. Friday in response to questions from Inner
City
Press Ms. Okabe said that Gambari will be available to answer these
questions
once he leaves Myanmar, where he is staying at least one extra day to
see if
the now face saving sit-down and photo-op with Aung San Suu Kyi can
take place.
In a
parallel but still very much UN universe, the loss of
UN aid money to government-dictated currency exchanges was further
covered up last week, a story which
Inner City Press broke and to which we will be returning.
On Monday,
August 18, Inner City Press asked
Inner
City Press: On Myanmar, do we know yet
if Ibrahim Gambari is going to meet with both Aung San Suu Kyi and with
senior
Government officials in Myanmar?
Associate
Spokesperson: You see, I have all these
papers just for occasions such as this.
In accordance with his mandate, Mr. Gambari expects
to meet with all
relevant parties to the national reconciliation peace process,
including all
those whom he has met on previous occasions.
He has met with Aung San Suu Kyi on each of his
visits, as well as with
Myanmar’s senior leaders on several occasions, and he looks forward to
continuing his dialogue with all concerned.
Inner
City Press: On this, the Special
Rapporteur on Human Rights in Myanmar, that he went and then his press
conference was cancelled due to, I guess, undisclosed scheduling
conflict, did
he ever--
Associate
Spokesperson: The Bangkok office said
that there was a scheduling conflict and they said that he could give a
briefing at some other point. So they
will announce it whenever that’s ready.
I don’t know the ins and outs of their press
conference schedule in
Bangkok inherently, but you can keep in touch with them.
Question: Since the last visit
by Gambari in
(inaudible), there was that referendum on the new constitution. Is he going to communicate what the UN
position on that referendum is? And what
is the UN position on that referendum?
Associate
Spokesperson: As for that, this visit is
the continuation of the Secretary-General’s good offices process that
was led
by Mr. Gambari over the past two and half years and follows the recent
visit to
Myanmar by the Secretary-General himself.
The Secretary-General has made very clear upon
returning from Myanmar
that he expects his good offices to be deepened and broadened through
the
continuing engagement of his Special Adviser.
Gambari and Aung San Suu Kyi in happier
(?) times
On Tuesday
August 19, Inner City
Press asked
Inner
City Press: On Myanmar, the National
League for Democracy says that although they welcome Mr. Ibrahim
Gambari's
visit, previous visits have not really accomplished, from their point
of view,
anything. And they have also said that
they haven't received any invitation to meet with him during his visit. What sort of either opposition or
formally-elected
parties in Myanmar is he going to be meeting with while he is there?
Associate
Spokesperson: As I think we mentioned
yesterday, Mr. Gambari expects to meet with all relevant parties to the
national reconciliation process, including all those whom he has met on
previous occasions. And as you know, on
previous occasions he has met with opposition leaders as well as with
Aung San
Suu Kyi. Okay, and with that, I wish you
all a good afternoon.
On Wednesday
August 20, Inner
City Press asked
Inner
City Press: It's now widely reported
that Mr. Gambari has said that Ban Ki-moon will be going to Myanmar in
December. Is that the case or not the
case?
Deputy
Spokesperson: Well, as you know, the
Secretary-General made very clear upon returning from Myanmar and
following his
discussions with the leadership there that he expects his good offices
to be
deepened and broadened through his continued engagement of his Special
Adviser. He also indicated his intent to
return to Myanmar when conditions are right to continue the dialogue
with the
Myanmar leadership. At this point, it is
too early to confirm the Secretary-General’s calendar.
And on that note, I just got the update on
Mr. Gambari’s activities in Myanmar, which I’d like to read into the
record:
On
his third day in Myanmar, the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser,
Ibrahim
Gambari, met with the Ministers of Planning and Health, with whom he
discussed
ways to address socio-economic conditions.
He also held 10 separate meetings with political
parties and civil
society groups, including members of the Central Executive Committee of
the
National League for Democracy (NLD), student representatives and
elected
individuals from the 1990 elections. The discussions focused on the
need for
inclusive national dialogue, a credible political process, and ways to
address
socio-economic challenges.
Yesterday,
Mr. Gambari visited areas in the delta region affected by Cyclone
Nargis. He also held a meeting with a team
representing the ruling State Peace and Development Council, where they
exchanged views on a broad range of issues, including the release of
political
prisoners, the credibility of the political process and ways to address
socio-economic conditions.
So
that's what I have on Myanmar.
Inner
City Press: Did his meetings with the
NLD include any meeting with Aung San Suu Kyi, or is he going to meet
with her
before he leaves?
Deputy
Spokesperson: On Aung San Suu Kyi, Mr.
Gambari, as you know, has met with her on each of his visits as well as
with
Myanmar’s senior leaders on several occasions, and he looks forward to
continuing his dialogue with all concerned.
And we’ll keep you updated on his activities on the
ground while he is
there. Okay, and on that note, have a
good afternoon. Thank you very much.
On Thursday
August 21, Inner City
Press asked
Inner
City Press: There seems to be increasing
concern among the opposition in Myanmar that Professor Gambari will
not, in
fact, meet with Aung San Suu Kyi, while he is there, given that it’s
now day
four or five of his five-day trip. Is he
going to meet with her or not, as he said that he would?
Deputy
Spokesperson: I think I answered that
question yesterday. As far as I know,
Mr. Gambari -- his mission still continues, and his mission is not yet
over
with.
Inner
City Press: But NLD [National League for
Democracy] said that they had expected this meeting to take place
yesterday,
Wednesday, and then it didn’t take place...
Deputy
Spokesperson: I am saying that Mr.
Gambari’s visit is not yet over.
Inner
City Press: When does it end?
Deputy
Spokesperson: As of now, he is on the
ground, and, as I mentioned to you earlier, he is there to continue his
dialogue with all concerned and when he comes out of the country, I am
sure you
will know.
Inner
City Press: So is he going to stay until
he meets with her?
Deputy
Spokesperson: I have nothing beyond what
I am saying right now.
Question: In the five days that
he has spent in Burma
so far, he has spent 20 minutes only with NLD representatives, or any
democratic representatives. Is that
pretty much the way he apportions to the democratically elected leaders
of
Burma?
Deputy
Spokesperson: As you know, Mr. Gambari
is in Myanmar to build on his previous mission by listening to
everyone, to
hear their expectations and concerns, encourage them to find ways to
move
forward the objectives of national reconciliation, democracy and
respect for
human rights in the interests of all the people of Myanmar, and see how
the
United Nations can continue to help the Government and people of
Myanmar to
that end. And he has met with Aung San
Suu Kyi on each of his visits, as well as with Myanmar’s senior leaders
on
several occasions, and he is looking forward to continuing his dialogue
with
all concerned.
Question: 20 minutes in five
days?
Deputy
Spokesperson: I now can’t go into exact
minutes. He has been meeting with a wide
range of actors on the ground, with the focus on the need for a
credible and
inclusive political process and dialogue. There are no further
questions?
And
on Friday, Marie Okabe
announced that Gambari was staying an extra day. There are reports of
Gambari's
staff creeping around outside Aung San Suu Kyi's house. Word is that
she's refusing
to meet with Gambari because his visits have not accomplished anything
and, as
such, may even be hurting. Friday in response to questions from Inner
City
Press Ms. Okabe said that Gambari will be available to answer these
questions
once he leaves Myanmar, where he is staying at least one extra day to
see if
the now face saving sit-down and photo-op with Aung San Suu Kyi can
take place.
Watch
this
site. And this (on
South Ossetia), and
this --
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