UNSG Briefing to UNSG

>New York, 13 July 2009 - Secretary-General's briefing to the Security

>Council on Myanmar
>
>Mr. President,
>
>Thank you for this opportunity to brief the members of the Security
>Council, at their request, on my visit to Myanmar from 3 to 4 July 2009 at
>the invitation of the Government of Myanmar.
>
>I wish to thank all interested Member States in this Council and in the
>Group of Friends on Myanmar for supporting my decision to visit Myanmar at
>this time and also for supporting my efforts in the context of my good
>offices. Whereas the objective of my first visit last year was to unblock
>the humanitarian situation caused by Cyclone Nargis, my objective this
>time was to engage Myanmar's senior leadership directly on a number of
>serious and longstanding concerns which I believe cannot be left
>unaddressed at this critical stage of Myanmar's transition. At a time when
>there is much attention on the ongoing trial of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and
>on the eve of Myanmar's first elections in twenty years, it was necessary
>for me to raise those concerns and extend the help of the United Nations
>in advancing national reconciliation, democracy, respect for human rights
>and sustainable development.
>
>At the outset, let me say that the refusal of the senior leadership to
>allow me to meet with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was not only a deep
>disappointment, but also a major lost opportunity for Myanmar. While this
>should not define our efforts, allowing such a meeting would have sent a
>constructive and conciliatory signal, both inside and outside Myanmar.
>However, the United Nations' engagement with Myanmar is broad and complex
>as it encompasses a range of fundamental issues of concern for the future
>of the country, which I was able to address during this visit.
>
>In my two meetings with Senior General Than Shwe, and an additional
>meeting with the Prime Minister General Thein Sein, I discussed
>extensively the need for Myanmar to take meaningful steps on the
>five-point agenda developed in the context of my good offices, as well as
>in the humanitarian area. I made specific proposals with a particular
>focus on three outstanding concerns which, if left unaddressed, could
>undermine any confidence in Myanmar's political process: (i) the release
>of all political prisoners, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi; (ii) the
>resumption of a substantive dialogue between the Government and the
>Opposition; and (iii) the creation of conditions conducive to credible and
>legitimate elections. From experience, the United Nations has learned that
>elections can be unifying or divisive, depending on the level of buy-in
>and the quality of the process. Addressing these three concerns, including
>with the support of the United Nations, is therefore essential to ensure
>that the political process is all inclusive and serves the interest of all
>the people of Myanmar in a way that can be broadly accepted by the
>international community. Meeting with Myanmar's registered political
>parties and ethnic ceasefire groups allowed me to listen to their views
>and concerns in this regard, which I also shared with the authorities.
>However, I also encouraged the two groups to remain constructive in the
>political process. Any successful transition will require overcoming the
>country's twin legacy of political deadlock and civil conflict. It is in
>the interest of all to ensure that any gains made so far become
>irreversible. While the Government has a primary obligation to address the
>concerns of all stakeholders, every stakeholder has a role to play and a
>responsibility to assume in the interest of the nation.
>
>On the humanitarian front, I saw for myself the progress made one year
>later in the recovery and reconstruction of the cyclone-affected region,
>thanks to the unprecedented cooperation between Myanmar, the United
>Nations and ASEAN [Association of South East Asia]. In all my meetings, I
>stressed the need to consolidate and build on such efforts to ensure that
>assistance in the Delta is expedited and that humanitarian access is
>expanded to reach all vulnerable groups across the country. Just like the
>international community cannot hold humanitarian assistance hostage to
>political considerations, there is no justification for the Government to
>allow humanitarian access to some of its people, but not to others.
>
>Furthermore, my visit was also the occasion to address Myanmar's
>development challenge. Here too, we know from experience that peace and
>security can be affected by underlying socio-economic conditions.
>Accordingly, I proposed to the senior leadership to enhance cooperation
>with the United Nations to address the pressing development needs facing
>the country through a broad-based process involving all sectors of
>society. Empowering the people to participate in their country's
>development is equally important for stability, democracy and prosperity,
>and for ensuring that Myanmar fully benefits from and contributes to the
>regional and global economy.
>
>Mr. President,
>
>My visit offered the clearest signal of the United Nations' commitment to
>work with the Government and people of Myanmar to address issues that are
>of fundamental importance for the prospects of durable peace, democracy
>and development. While I stand ready to work to that end with all
>concerned, Myanmar stands to gain much from engaging meaningfully with the
>United Nations. To be able to convey this message clearly and directly at
>the highest level of Myanmar's leadership is a rare chance for the
>international community to be heard.
>
>Here, as has been observed, what is more important is not so much what I
>came back with, but what I left behind with the authorities. I have made
>clear my expectation and that of the international community that the
>Government needs to deliver on the promise to make the 2010 elections
>inclusive, free and fair and to take necessary steps on my specific
>proposals in the very near future. In this connection, Senior General Than
>Shwe's has pledged to make the elections free and fair. But I said then,
>and reiterate today, that it is up to the Myanmar authorities to translate
>this into concrete action, to ensure the inclusiveness and credibility of
>the process and to demonstrate concretely Myanmar's commitment to
>cooperate with the international community. Like all Member States, the
>more Myanmar works in partnership with the United Nations, the more it
>affirms its sovereignty.
>
>Mr. President,
>
>Before leaving Myanmar, I had the chance to publicly reiterate all my
>messages in a keynote speech to a large and diverse audience in Yangon.
>This was an unprecedented opportunity to ask openly the question that is
>before Myanmar's stakeholders today: How much longer can Myanmar afford to
>wait – and at what cost – for national reconciliation, democratic
>transition and full respect for human rights? My message – addressed to
>the international community as much as to the Government and people of
>Myanmar – was twofold: First, while Myanmar has a unique and complex
>history, the challenges it faces as a country in transition are neither
>exceptional nor insurmountable. Second, none of the challenges facing
>Myanmar today – political, humanitarian, development – can be addressed on
>its own, and failure to address them with equal attention could undermine
>the prospects for durable peace, democracy and prosperity.
>
>This address was also an opportunity to stress my commitment to continued
>engagement, and that of the importance for the international community as
>a whole, I clearly stated that Myanmar was not alone. In Myanmar as
>elsewhere, the United Nations works for the people – their rights, their
>well-being and their dignity. It is not an option, it is our
>responsibility. We cannot give up.
>
>Your continued support to my good offices efforts and your encouragement –
>particularly that of neighbouring and ASEAN countries – to the Myanmar
>authorities have therefore become even more important and necessary. I
>welcome the continued support given to my efforts by the G8 leaders last
>week and their statement that they are "prepared to respond positively to
>substantive political progress undertaken by Myanmar." I also welcome the
>reiterated strong support extended to my good offices and personal
>engagement by the Group of Friends on Myanmar.
>
>Now that I have conveyed in the clearest terms what is expected of
>Myanmar's leaders, it is up to them to respond positively in their
>country's own interest. As I mentioned in my speech, ultimately it is the
>people of Myanmar who will bear the cost of any lack of engagement and
>cooperation by their Government with the UN and the international
>community. That is why Myanmar's leaders have a responsibility, not only
>towards their own people, but also towards you as members of the
>international community, to respond to the proposals I made on your
>behalf. The choice for Myanmar's leaders in the coming days and weeks will
>be between meeting that responsibility in the interest of all concerned,
>or failing their own people and each one of you. The world is now watching
>closely whether they will choose to act in the best interest of their
>country or ignore our concerns and expectations and the needs of their people.
>
>Thank you Mr. President.
>
>13 July 2009 - Secretary-General addresses the press following Security
>Council briefing on Myanmar
>
>I have just finished briefing the Security Council, at their request, on
>my recent visit to Myanmar, including on the wide range of issues I
>discussed with the Myanmar leadership and other stakeholders.
>
> From the outset, I stated that it would be a difficult mission. However,
> the visit provided a unique opportunity to engage directly and frankly
> with Senior General Than Shwe and the Myanmar leadership on the broad
> range of challenges facing the country. I made specific proposals on
> various outstanding concerns which, if left unaddressed, could undermine
> any confidence in Myanmar's political process. These include firstly, the
> release of all political prisoners, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi;
> secondly, the resumption of a substantive dialogue between the Government
> and the Opposition; and thirdly, the creation of conditions conducive to
> credible, inclusive and legitimate elections. The visit also enabled me
> to engage directly with registered political parties and ethnic ceasefire
> groups, and hear their concerns.
>
>In this regard, I would like to take note of the statement just made by
>the Permanent Representative of Myanmar saying that, I quote, “at the
>request of the Secretary-General in Myanmar, the Myanmar Government is
>processing to grant amnesty to prisoners on humanitarian grounds and with
>a view to enabling them to participate in the 2010 general elections.”
>This is encouraging but I have to continue to follow up how they will
>implement all the issues raised during my visit to Myanmar.
>
>As you know I also visited the Delta region, where I witnessed our joint
>recovery and reconstruction efforts. Regrettably, I could not meet with
>Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. It was not only a deep disappointment but also a
>missed opportunity for Myanmar. I was however able to meet separately with
>the leaders of her party, the NLD (National League for Democracy).
>
>Now that I have conveyed in the clearest terms what is expected of
>Myanmar's leaders, it is up to them to respond positively in their
>country's own interest. The world is now watching closely whether they
>will choose to act in the best interest of their country or not.
>
>I would also like to take this opportunity to let you know that I will be
>traveling to Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, later today, so that I can meet with
>the leaders gathered for the Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement there on
>Wednesday. I will deliver an address to the Summit, and I will encourage
>the Non-Aligned Movement to build on its leadership role among nations to
>address today's challenges. Those challenges include disarmament, the
>economic crisis, climate change,and the implementation of the Millennium
>Development Goals.
>
>Thank you.
>
>Question: Mr. Secretary-General, you said that [Senior General] Than Shwe
>has committed to make the elections free and fair. But the constitution
>that was passed right after the cyclone says that a quarter of the seats
>have to go to people with military backgrounds, and that Aung San Suu Kyi
>couldn’t run because she married a foreigner. Under those conditions, how
>can you believe that the elections are going to be free, fair or credible?
>
>Secretary-General: I urged Senior General Than Shwe that this election
>should be fair and free, but also legitimate, inclusive and credible. To
>be credible and legitimate, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and all political
>prisoners should be released. I emphasized that, without participation of
>Aung San Suu Kyi, without her being able to campaign freely, and without
>her NLD party [being able] to establish party offices all throughout the
>provinces, this election may not be regarded as credible and legitimate.
>
>Q: Should she be a candidate?
>
>SG: That is what I am going to continue to follow up. You have heard the
>Permanent Representative of Myanmar saying that his Government is now
>taking some procedures to allow some amnesty. But I’m not quite sure who
>will be included in this amnesty. But I have made it quite clear that Daw
>Aung San Suu Kyi in particular should be released and free to participate
>in the election.
>
>Thank you very much.