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Reference:
Press statement by the
Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Myanmar
Yangon, 28 November 2010

As Special Adviser to the Secretary-General, I have just concluded a two-day

visit to Myanmar at the invitation of the Government. My visit is in continuation
of the good offices dialogue between the United Nations and Myanmar following
the last visit by Secretary-General in July 2009.

During my visit, I had the opportunity to meet with the Government and a range
of stakeholders, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and members of the NLD, as
well as representatives of some of the major political parties who participated in
the 7 November elections, including the Democratic Party, National Democratic
Force, Rakhine Nationalities Development Party, Chin National Party, National
Unity Party, and Union Solidarity and Development Party. In addition, I met with
representatives of Myanmar civil society groups.

In the wake of Myanmar’s first elections in twenty years and the release of Daw
Aung San Suu Kyi, my visit focused on three main aspects:

The first was to listen to as many parties as possible about their hopes,
expectations and concerns at this critical juncture for the country’s future
direction. In this process, strong concerns were expressed by many
parties about the process and outcome of the recent elections, which I
have urged the Government and the Union Election Commission to
address as transparently as possible. This is important for laying the
foundation of a credible transition.

The second focus of my visit was to encourage the Government to build

on recent developments towards national dialogue for reconciliation and
democratization in the post-election process. The United Nations has
respected the position of all parties regarding the elections. It now
encourages them to work constructively for the national interest. In order
to succeed, any political transition should be broad-based and inclusive,
and involve not only those who participated and won seats in the election,
but also those who did not or could not. In this connection, I called for the
release of the political prisoners. The formation of new institutions of
government offers an important opportunity in this regard.
 The third focus of my visit was to reaffirm the United Nations’ long-term
commitment to continue to work with the Government and people of
Myanmar in their efforts to address the political, humanitarian and
developmental challenges facing their country. In my discussions, all
interlocutors have expressed their commitment and willingness to work
more closely with the United Nations in a broad range of areas, from the
promotion of human rights and the rule of law, to support for national
reconciliation efforts, as well as maximizing the impact of the United
Nations in meeting the socio-economic needs of Myanmar’s people.

All stakeholders underscored the important role of the Secretary-General’s good

offices at this juncture. The United Nations looks forward to continuing this
dialogue through direct engagement with all parties to help advance national
reconciliation and the establishment of a democratic and civilian government in a
way that contributes to Myanmar’s stability and development.