Ban Ki-moon Plans to Visit Burma Again

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says he intends to visit Burma “as soon as possible” to press for the release of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners.

"I am deeply concerned about what has been happening in Myanmar [Burma] in terms of democratization and I’m going to urge again the release of political prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi," Ban told the US television broadcasting station CNN.

Ban told CNN he is "very seriously" discussing a date for the visit with Burmese military authorities, but he gave no details.

Ban said the imprisonment of Suu Kyi in Rangoon’s Insein Prison is "unacceptable" and described the opposition leader as an "indispensable partner for reconciliatory dialogue" in Burma.

Ban first visited Burma in May 2008 in the aftermath of cyclone Nargis and toured the devastated Irrawaddy delta. However, his talks with top Burmese officials, including Snr-Gen Than Shwe, were restricted to humanitarian relief efforts.

Ban cancelled a tentatively scheduled trip to Burma in December, saying he saw no tangible progress in achieving UN-mandated goals in Burma.

Burma has more than 2,100 political prisoners. Suu Kyi, 63, has spent 13 of the past 19 years under house arrest without trial. She is accused before a special court in Insein Prison of violating the conditions of her detention by allowing an overnight stay by John W Yettaw, an American who two weeks ago swam across Inya Lake to reach her compound.

The Burmese government allowed 10 journalists and dozens of diplomats to attend one session of the court on Wednesday.

During the meeting with envoys from Thailand, Singapore and Russia, Suu Kyi said: “There could be many opportunities for national reconciliation if all parties so wished,” according to a statement by Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The statement said Suu Kyi also “expressed the view that it was not too late for something good to come out of this unfortunate incident,” referring to her trial.