Razali, who lives in Malaysia, also said he wanted to travel to Burma as soon as he could to discuss "important issues".

On the Nobel peace laureate, who has been detained for more than a year, he told AFP: "It is important for her to be released before the convention starts."

"It is my intention to go to Yangon as soon as possible. But it depends on the government. There are important issues to be discussed," he said, without elaborating.

Aung San Suu Kyi is under house arrest -- her third such detention since 1988 -- after being detained in May last year in the wake of political unrest which also triggered a sweeping crackdown on her National League
for Democracy party (NLD).

Razali, a former Malaysian diplomat, was the catalyst for landmark contacts between Burma's junta and Aung San Suu Kyi which began in October 2000 but collapsed last year, dashing hopes for national reconciliation.

Aung San Suu Kyi's NLD won the 1990 elections in Burma but was never allowed to rule.

Razali last visited Yangon in early March, his 12th visit to the military-run state aimed at securing the freedom of Aung San Suu Kyi and to spur democratic reforms.

The UN envoy had previously said the release of several of Aung San Suu Kyi's lieutenants and a rare march through Yangon last month reflected a willingness of all to make a planned "roadmap to democracy" a success.

The roadmap was unveiled by Prime Minister General Khin Nyunt last year as part of a public relations campaign rolled out by the junta after it took Aung San Suu Kyi into detention.

The May 17 convention to draw up a new constitution is expected to assemble government, political parties and ethnic representatives in the first step on the so-called "roadmap to democracy" that will supposedly lead to free elections.

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