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UNSC laments lack of progress on Myanmar

AFP, United Nations
The Security Council on Thursday bemoaned the slow progress in ininating democratic reforms in Myanmar and pressed for an early visit to the country by UN mediator Ibrahim Gambari.
After huddling with Gambari. the 15 council members said in a statement that they ‘regretted the slow rate of progress so far toward" meeting objectives they set out last October, a month after Myanmar's military junta crushed the biggest pro-democracy protests in nearly 20 years.
Underscoring the importance of "further progress" toward the goal of reconciliation between the military regime and the opposition. they noted drat ‘an early visit by Gambari could help facilitate this."
Gambari. the UN’s point man in efforts to foster reconciliation between the military government and the Western-backed opposition. said all council members stressed, during closed-door consultation ’the need to accelerate progress."
Gambari has visited Myanmar twice since the bloody military crackdown in September on peaceful protests led by Buddhist monks.
The repression was sparked by protests against a steep rise in fuel prices a month earlier, which rapidly escalated into demonstrations against the military junta, which has ruled Myanmar for decades.
Gambari said he asked to return to Myanmar this month but was told by authorities that an April visit would be more convenient for them.
He added that all council members supported an "early visit as a means to engage the government of Myanmar in all areas of concern."
Last October, the Security Council adopted a non-binding statement calling for "the early release of all political prisoners and remaining detainees." including opposition leader AungSan Suu Kyi.
Aung San Suu Kyi. a Nobel Peace laureate, led her National League for Democracy (NLD) to a landslide victory in 1990 elections, but the result has never been recognised by the junta which placed her under
house arrest.
After Thursday's meeting. US Ambassador to the UN Zalmay Khalilzad told reporters that "in order for success to be achieved, we need to increase the pressure" on the military regime.
He stressed the need to "reduce the gap between where things are and where they need to be" in terms of democratic reforms, full respect for human rights, an end to forced labour and to repression of ethnic minorities.
Khalilzad specifically urged countries with influence on Myanmar, such as China, India and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to persuade the military regime to cooperate with Gambari.
China is a major supplier of weapons to Myanmar and has come under criticism for its policy of non-interference in the reclusive southeast Asian nation's affairs.
India has also cultivated close ties with Myanmar's military rulers in recent years, citing its huge energy requirements as well as its need to jointly battle separatist rebels who are active along the two countries' jungle border.