UN special envoy to Myanmar, Mr Ibrahim Gambari, speaks at a joint press conference with Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda at the Indonesian Foreign Ministry office in Jakarta on October 18. Pic: AFP/Bay Ismoyo

LAST week the UN special envoy, Mr Ibrahim Gambari, continued a six-nation tour of the region to seek support for UN efforts to promote political and economic reforms in Myanmar.

The 13-day tour, during which Mr Gambari has travelled to Malaysia and Indonesia and was also scheduled to visit India, China and Japan, began in Bangkok on October 14.

Mr Gambari, the special envoy on Myanmar of UN Secretary General Mr Ban Ki-moon, said the tour’s objectives include seeking support for promoting a dialogue in Myanmar aimed accelerating a democratic transition. Another objective is to discuss how the UN can help alleviate political and economic challenges facing Myanmar.

The tour, Mr Gambari’s second to the six countries this year as special envoy, has underlined the growing emphasis being placed by the UN on the importance of regional countries in promoting democratic transition in Myanmar.

“The secretary general is absolutely committed to working with the government of Myanmar, with neighbouring countries (and) with ASEAN, so that together we can achieve this goal of a peaceful, democratic, prosperous Myanmar that is a positive influence on its neighbours,” Mr Gambari told a news conference in Kuala Lumpur after meeting the Malaysian Prime Minister, Mr Abdullah Badawi, on October 17.

Mr Gambari said the main obstacle to further progress in a political transition was the lack of a dialogue between the government, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and other groups.

“Noting the government’s recent appointment of a liaison officer tasked with starting dialogue with the opposition, Mr Gambari stressed the need to begin such a dialogue without any further delay,” the statement said.

The statement was referring to the government’s appointment on October 8 of a deputy minister of labour, U Aung Kyi, as Minister for Relations to liaise with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

Mr Gambari said he hoped to return to Myanmar by the third week of November to continue his efforts to encourage dialogue between the two sides.

“I have confirmed an invitation to Myanmar to visit by the third week of November. And I intend to honour that invitation. But there is a possibility of going earlier,” Mr Gambari was quoted as saying by AFP.

Mr Gambari also held talks with the Malaysian Foreign Minister, Mr Syed Hamid Albar, who said encouragement from the international community, rather than pressure, would be more useful in encouraging Myanmar to continue its cooperation with the UN.

The Malaysian foreign minister also ruled out suspending Myanmar from ASEAN.

On October 15 Mr Gambari completed the second leg of his tour in Kuala Lumpur on October 17.

Mr Gambari arrived in Jakarta later that day on the third leg of his visit and met separately the next day with Indonesia’s president, Mr Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, and foreign minister, Mr Hassan Wirayuda.

The UN said Mr Gambari was due to fly from Jakarta to New Delhi on October 21, where he was to meet the prime minister, Mr Manmohan Singh, and the foreign minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee.

On October 24, Mr Gambari was scheduled to travel to Beijing where he was expected to hold talks with the Chinese premier, Mr Wen Jiabao.

The UN said Mr Gambari was due to spend October 26 and 27 in Tokyo before returning to New York, where he will brief Mr Ban on his tour.

Mr Gambari was dispatched to the region following the adoption by the UN Security Council on October 11 of a statement that welcomed the government’s decision to appoint U Aung Kyi.

During a visit to Myanmar from September 29 to October 2, Mr Gambari met with Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Senior General Than Shwe, and with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

At his meeting with Mr Gambari in Nay Pyi Taw on October 2, Senior General Than Shwe made a conditional offer to hold talks with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

– Agencies