Asean Summit's Statement On Myanmar To Go To UN

13 Dec (Bernama) - United Nations (UN) Secretary General's special envoy to Myanmar, Tan Sri Razali Ismail, will be forwarding Asean leaders' comments on Myanmar to the world body.

The comments would be relayed to UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan or his deputy to be used in their briefing to the UN Security Council on Friday, Razali said in an interview with Bernama here Tuesday.

Razali noted that the Asean leaders' statements reflected their concern that Asean would be discredited by Myanmar's slow-paced democratic reforms.

"This obviously is related to the commitment given at the Asean Ministerial Meeting in Phnom Penh in 2003 for the immediate release of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and the embarrassment that nothing has happened since then," he said.

Razali disclosed he had been informed that the invitation extended to Syed Hamid was a result of pressure felt by Yangon following Asean leaders' expression of their dissatisfaction over Myanmar's "assurance" concerning the progress of its democratice reforms.

He concurred with Syed Hamid that the delegation should find out whether clear steps are ongoing towards a democratic government "with inclusiveness."