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New UN envoy for Myanmar likely



New UN envoy for Myanmar likely

Bangkok, February 13, 2000
>From Hindustan Times (New Delhi)

UN secretary General Kofi Annan today said he would name a new special
envoy to Myanmar who would try to "nudge" the military government
towards democracy. Mr Annan's former special representative to Yangon,
Peruvian Alvaro de Soto, was posted to new job in Cyprus at the end of
last year with no immediate successor designated and there have been
some doubts over the future of the UN mission in Myanmar. De Soto bacame
frustrated by lack of progress towards democracy in Myanmar and the
continued refusal of its ruling Generals to talk to Nobel Peace Prize
winning Opposition leader Aung San Suu Ky8, diplomats say.

Mr Annan siad he would appoint a replacement for De Soto, although no
timetable had yet been fixed. He gave no hints as to the identity of the
new envoy. "I do intend to name a replacement, to appoint a new envoy,
whom I hope the government will engage," Annan told a news conference.

"Our approach has been to nudge the government, to encourage them to
open up, to engage other forces, other political forces in the country
and move towards democratisation in order to create the type of
confidence that will encourage the international community to come and
assist them," he said. "These efforts continue."