U.N. Envoy Returns To Burma For Democratic Reforms

March 7, 2008 6:37 a.m. EST

Rangoon, Burma (AHN) - UN envoy Ibrahim Gambari arrived in Burma on Thursday aiming to promote democratic reforms in the military-run South East Asian country.

Gambari met Foreign Minister Nyan Win, as well as foreign diplomats and UN officials based here on the first day of his visit.

No news was officially released about the discussions.

The UN envoy is expected to press the military government to allow some kind of campaigning during the referendum, while looking for ways to include Aung San Suu Kyi and her party in the polls.

However, he faces an uphill battle in trying to win any concessions from the unpredictable generals, who have so far resisted outside pressure to reform, according to analysts.

It is Gambari's third visit since last September's deadly crackdown on anti-government street protests and his first since the Burmese government announcement last month of a constitutional referendum in May, paving the way for multi-party elections in 2010.

On previous visits, the UN special envoy has held talks with senior government officials and has also been allowed to meet the main opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

But it remains unclear whether he will meet Senior General Than Shwe, who refused a meeting during Gambari's last visit.

Gambari "hopes to stay as long as necessary" in Burma, officially known as Myanmar and to meet with "all the groups he was not able to see during his last visit," the U.N. said in a statement ahead of the visit.