US spells out goals for Gambari’s visit, threatens increased UN pressure

Posted on July 25, 2008
Filed Under Burma news |

The US wants to see Burma’s military junta ‘turn a new page’ and agree to a political roadmap for elections in 2010 as well as to the release of political prisoners, including opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi says Zalmay Khalilzad, the US ambassador to the UN.

He said they are looking for progress from next month’s visit to Burma by the UN Special envoy, Ibrahim Gambari. “If there is not progress on these issues … we would have to look at other measures, bringing more pressure to bear on the regime.”

“If they don’t cooperate in a time-bound negotiation on the issue of the release of political prisoners, and if they try to buy time with the visit of Gambari, then there will be Security Council’s focus on this issue,”

He waned, “My message to the regime is to take advantage of Mr. Gambari’s visit. Absent political progress, we see the potential for increased political instability and the council cannot remain indifferent to that.”

Critics of Gambari’s work have complained that the junta are using the envoy for political cover, by making concessions during talks, but failing to follow through.

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