Mizzima News

New Delhi - Leaders of Burma's main opposition party –the National League for Democracy – on Wednesday met visiting United Nations special envoy, Ibrahim Gambari, but said the meeting was 'disappointing'.

The NLD leaders' statement came after five members of the NLD Central Executive Committee led by party chairman Aung Shwe on Wednesday afternoon met Gambari at the government guest house for a brief 20 minutes. 
 
Nyan Win, the NLD spokesperson, who was not at the meeting but was assigned to speak on behalf of those attending, said the meeting started at 3 p.m. (local time) and lasted for 20 minutes.
 
"It is disappointing. We want things implemented in keeping with the resolutions passed by the United Nations. We want to kick start national reconciliation," Nyan Win told Mizzima over telephone.
 
The Nigerian diplomat, who arrived in Rangoon on Monday, has so far met Burmese Foreign Minister Nyan Win, Information Minister Brig Gen. Kyaw San and toured cyclone-hit areas in Rangoon division.
 
On Wednesday, he also met pro-junta student group the 88 generation students (Union of Myanmar) led by Aye Lwin.
 
Nyan Win said Gambari is drifting away from his main mission by meeting groups that the junta wants him to meet and not finding ways and means to meet key political players.
 
"He [Gamabri] just met social groups like 88 generation students (Union of Myanmar). These groups are all pro-junta groups," Nyan Win said.
 
"We are disappointed to see that he [Gambari] is drifting away from his main mission of facilitating national reconciliation. If we look at where he is going and who he is meeting, it is hardly encouraging," Nyan Win added.
 
During the meeting with the NLD leaders, Gambari said he will continue to call for the release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, U Win Tin and other political prisoners, and call for direct talks between Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the regime.
 
Gambari also said that he will call on the Burmese government to implement economic reforms and urge it to allow him to open a liaison office in Rangoon so that he can maintain constant communication with the Burmese government.
 
But Nyan Win said, while Gambari told party leaders he will urge the government to conduct free and fair election in 2010, he failed to give his views on the results of the 1990 elections, when asked by the NLD leaders.
 
"When he talked about free and fair elections in 2010, we asked him about his views on the results of the 1990 elections. But he did not answer. He also declined to answer when we asked him what his mission was. And when we asked him whether he had met Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, he said no, he is still trying," Nyan Win said of the discussion between the NLD leaders and Gambari.
 
The meeting was attended by NLD chairman Aung Shwe, Secretary U Lwin, Thakhin Soe Myint, Than Tun and Nyunt Wai.
 
During his last visit in March, while Gambari was allowed to meet detained opposition leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, he was barred from meeting junta supremo Snr. Gen. Than Shwe.
 
Gambari is currently visiting Burma for the fourth time since military rulers resorted to violence when it cracked down on peaceful protesters in September 2007.