UN chief to lobby Myanmar for Suu Kyi's release

UN chief to lobby Myanmar for Suu Kyi's release
1 hour ago
YANGON, Myanmar (AP) — The U.N. secretary-general said ahead of his trip Friday to Myanmar that he plans to lobby the military-ruled country's top leader directly for the release of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was due to arrive in Yangon early Friday and then fly to the country's new administrative capital of Naypyitaw for meetings with leaders. Suu Kyi, currently on trial for allegedly violating terms of her house arrest, said Thursday she has not been informed of any plans for her to meet with Ban during his visit.
Ban told reporters traveling with him late Thursday that his talks would focus on gaining the release of all political prisoners including Suu Kyi; resumption of dialogue between the military government and its opposition; and creating conditions for credible elections.
He will meet with top junta leader Senior Gen. Than Shwe and Prime Minister Gen. Thein Sein.
"This is going to be, I know, a very difficult mission. But as the same time I know that to bring changes to Myanmar, political conciliation and democratization, we need to do our best," Ban told reporters while en route to Myanmar.
He said he would "convey the concerns of the international community, about the slow pace of political conciliation and democratization process."
"First of all I'm going to argue for the release of all political prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi," Ban said, adding that he would raise Suu Kyi's case directly with Than Shwe.
The secretary-general is also scheduled to meet leaders from Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy, other political parties and some ethnic minorities.
While some senior party members from the league have been informed that they will have an opportunity to meet Ban, a spokesman for the party, Nyan Win, told reporters there is "no indication" that he would meet Suu Kyi.
Suu Kyi said that if they did speak, she did not intend to discuss her current trial for violating the terms of her house arrest, he said.
Nyan Win, who is also one of her lawyers, said that Suu Kyi told her lawyers that her trial is not her priority, adding that "she's interested only in national reconciliation."
He added: "The U.N. Secretary-General ought to meet ... Aung San Suu Kyi in order to resolve Myanmar's political problems."
Suu Kyi, who has been in detention without trial for more than 13 of the past 19 years, is being held in Insein Prison while her trial is under way. If found guilty, she could be sentenced to five years in prison.
She was charged after an uninvited visitor, 53-year-old American John W. Yettaw, swam secretly to her lakeside house in May and stayed for two days. Final testimony in the case is expected Friday.
In Japan on Tuesday, Ban reiterated his call for the junta to free Suu Kyi and all of its estimated 2,100 political prisoners.
Associated Press writer John Heilprin contributed to this report from Singapore.