Posted on 10/13/2007 4:47:58 AM PDT by rontorr
Burma peace push starts here
United Nations special envoy Ibrahim Gambari is to meet with Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont next week to begin an Asian voyage to craft strategies for dealing with the Burmese military regime, the foreign ministry announced on Friday.
"Gambari will first meet with Thai Foreign Minister Nitya Pibulsonggram Monday morning and then with Prime Minister Surayud in the afternoon," ministry spokesman Tharit Charungvat said.
After Thailand, Gambari is to travel to Malaysia, Indonesia, India, China and Japan to consult with Asian governments as part of his preparations for a return to Burma some time in November in the wake of the junta's brutal repression of anti-government protests in the last week of September.
Gambari is the special envoy on Burmese affairs for UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
He was in Burma from September 29 to October 2, meeting with the head of the junta, Senior General Than Shwe, and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been under house arrest since May 2003.
As a result of the meeting, Than Shwe has agreed to appoint a "minister of relations" to pave the way for a political dialogue with Suu Kyi, but he has set conditions for the talks that Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, must drop her calls for confrontation with the regime and her support of Western sanctions on the country.
There is great skepticism about the regime's sincerity about the talks with Suu Kyi and willingness to relinquish the absolute power it has held over the country for the past 45 years.
The army's willingness to crack down on protests led by Buddhist monks last month, which killed at least 10 demonstrators and shocked the world, bears testimony to the junta's determination to stay in command.
Past efforts by the United Nations to get tough on Burma have consistently been undermined by China, which holds veto power on the UN Security Council.
The council on Thursday approved a watered-down statement "strongly" deploring the Burmese military government's repression of pro-democracy demonstrators after China opposed the strong language demanded for days by Western governments.
Council members claimed victory as all 15 members supported the statement, which was the first ever issued by the body on Burma. China opposed previous attempts.
Western governments on the council said conditions in Burma, from drug trafficking to human rights abuses and health problems, are threats to security and peace in the region. China considered the conditions internal matters and opposed UN interference.
The statement, which was read by the council president, Ghanaian Ambassador Leslie Kojo Christian, called for the "early release of all political prisoners and remaining detainees."
It called on "the government of (Burma) and all other parties concerned to work together towards a de-escalation of the situation and a peaceful solution." (dpa)
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Western governments on the council said conditions in Burma, from drug trafficking to human rights abuses and health problems, are threats to security and peace in the region. China considered the conditions internal matters and opposed UN interference.
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Intenal matters my A$$, the Thai people have a huge influx of drugs, Meth is the worst and biggest coming in from across the Burmese border, and the Thai version fo wetbacks come increasingly from the oppression up there, you cannot aconvince anyone in Thailand that these problems do not interfere with Regional security and peace when you read about constant shootouts between Thai Border patrols and police with drug traffickers, and constant arrests of Human traffickers in the local papers
ping
Gee. A place between Bangladesh and Thailand sucks. Thought it would be nice... |
Of course they did. As usual China reserves the right to genocide and mass murder and won't undercut themselves by opposing similar policies in other countries. Beijing is run by thugs and murderers plain and simple. The UN is nothing more than the Monica Lewinsky of tyrants.
notice how the news has fallen off about this whole crisis
in the last week.
On certain levels it will probably be swept under the rug again , like in 88.
I lieu of all this diplomatic pussy-footing around , can’t ‘someone’ just send in ahighly trained and well supported team of professionals , to take out Than Shwe and the next top 20 SPDC meatheads?
THIS would produce tangible positive change in Burma .
Nothing else will....screw China
It occured to me after watching the Japanese journalist being murdered is that I had never seen a cold blooded murder as it happened. I do not appreciate being made a witness to a murder as the shweeee thugs have subjected us all to.
Hopefully Japan will do everything in her power to rid the world of these thugs.
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