UNITED NATIONS, Oct 11 (Reuters) - China joined Western powers for the first time to deplore Myanmar's crushing of pro-democracy demonstrations and call for political dialogue there in a statement by the U.N. Security Council on Thursday. The hard-fought statement urged the military junta that has ruled Myanmar for 45 years to free all political prisoners and detained protesters soon and prepare for a "genuine dialogue" with opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The official policy statement is not legally binding, but because -- unlike a resolution -- it required the consent of all 15 council members, it left the Myanmar government isolated, Western diplomats said.
It was the first time the council had taken official action on Myanmar and marked a shift of position by China, a neighbor and key trading partner of Myanmar that had previously used its veto to prevent criticism of the country's authorities. The United Nations said special envoy Ibrahim Gambari would leave over the weekend for an Asian tour expected to culminate in his second visit to Myanmar since the junta cracked down on the demonstrations led by Buddhist monks last month. Myanmar authorities admit 10 people were killed, but Western governments say the toll is likely much higher. In an interview on Thursday on PBS's "NewsHour with Jim Lehrer," U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the United Nations would continue to use its "moral voice" to pursue change in Myanmar. "We have been mobilizing all possible political influences of leaders in the region and in the world," he said. "The Security Council strongly deplores the use of violence against peaceful demonstrations in Myanmar," said the statement read by council president Leslie Kojo Christian of Ghana after the West and China haggled for six days over the text. The council "emphasizes the importance of the early release of all political prisoners and remaining detainees," it added. "The Security Council stresses the need for the government of Myanmar to create the necessary conditions for a genuine dialogue with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and all concerned parties and ethnic groups, in order to achieve an inclusive national reconciliation." "I think it is significant ... because it makes absolutely clear that the government of Burma is isolated from all world opinion in its actions of recent weeks," said Britain's U.N. ambassador, John Sawers, using Myanmar's former name.
The United States, Britain and France, who initiated the statement, said the junta must act soon or they would pressure the council to return to the issue. "The regime's commitments to work with the U.N. and Mr. Gambari must be followed by action," White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said. U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad said if nothing happened, "we will be back" in the council, possibly in two weeks. "We will not relent. We will persist," Khalilzad told journalists. France's deputy U.N. ambassador, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, said all restrictions imposed on Suu Kyi, who is under house arrest, had to be lifted.
China's deputy U.N. ambassador, Liu Zhenmin, limited his comments to hoping the statement would help Gambari's visit and did not respond to questions on further council action. He said it was up to Myanmar's government and people "to resolve this issue." Gambari will hold talks in Thailand on Monday, then visit Malaysia, Indonesia, India, China and Japan "with a view to returning to Myanmar shortly thereafter," a U.N. statement said. Gambari, who returned from a four-day visit to Myanmar last week, originally planned a second trip in mid-November. Western diplomats said they hoped he would be in Myanmar before the end of October to push for implementation of the statement's demands. The statement was substantially rewritten several times and its final version dropped demands for a full accounting of what happened to the demonstrators as well as direct calls for a transition to democracy in Myanmar. Khalilzad said if he had had his way, the statement would have been stronger, "but you have to bring 15 countries together with different views and different interests." Rights groups gave it a cautious welcome. "This is a first step when what Burma needs is a concrete measure," said Aung Din, director of the U.S. Campaign for Burma. "We hope the council follows this move by implementing an arms embargo."
By Patrick Worsnip
It was the first time the council had taken official action on Myanmar and marked a shift of position by China, a neighbor and key trading partner of Myanmar that had previously used its veto to prevent criticism of the country's authorities. The United Nations said special envoy Ibrahim Gambari would leave over the weekend for an Asian tour expected to culminate in his second visit to Myanmar since the junta cracked down on the demonstrations led by Buddhist monks last month. Myanmar authorities admit 10 people were killed, but Western governments say the toll is likely much higher. In an interview on Thursday on PBS's "NewsHour with Jim Lehrer," U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the United Nations would continue to use its "moral voice" to pursue change in Myanmar. "We have been mobilizing all possible political influences of leaders in the region and in the world," he said. "The Security Council strongly deplores the use of violence against peaceful demonstrations in Myanmar," said the statement read by council president Leslie Kojo Christian of Ghana after the West and China haggled for six days over the text. The council "emphasizes the importance of the early release of all political prisoners and remaining detainees," it added. "The Security Council stresses the need for the government of Myanmar to create the necessary conditions for a genuine dialogue with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and all concerned parties and ethnic groups, in order to achieve an inclusive national reconciliation." "I think it is significant ... because it makes absolutely clear that the government of Burma is isolated from all world opinion in its actions of recent weeks," said Britain's U.N. ambassador, John Sawers, using Myanmar's former name.
The United States, Britain and France, who initiated the statement, said the junta must act soon or they would pressure the council to return to the issue. "The regime's commitments to work with the U.N. and Mr. Gambari must be followed by action," White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said. U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad said if nothing happened, "we will be back" in the council, possibly in two weeks. "We will not relent. We will persist," Khalilzad told journalists. France's deputy U.N. ambassador, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, said all restrictions imposed on Suu Kyi, who is under house arrest, had to be lifted.
China's deputy U.N. ambassador, Liu Zhenmin, limited his comments to hoping the statement would help Gambari's visit and did not respond to questions on further council action. He said it was up to Myanmar's government and people "to resolve this issue." Gambari will hold talks in Thailand on Monday, then visit Malaysia, Indonesia, India, China and Japan "with a view to returning to Myanmar shortly thereafter," a U.N. statement said. Gambari, who returned from a four-day visit to Myanmar last week, originally planned a second trip in mid-November. Western diplomats said they hoped he would be in Myanmar before the end of October to push for implementation of the statement's demands. The statement was substantially rewritten several times and its final version dropped demands for a full accounting of what happened to the demonstrators as well as direct calls for a transition to democracy in Myanmar. Khalilzad said if he had had his way, the statement would have been stronger, "but you have to bring 15 countries together with different views and different interests." Rights groups gave it a cautious welcome. "This is a first step when what Burma needs is a concrete measure," said Aung Din, director of the U.S. Campaign for Burma. "We hope the council follows this move by implementing an arms embargo."
By Patrick Worsnip
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