RANGOON, Burma (AP) — Pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi — under house arrest for 12 of the past 18 years — met for a little more than an hour yesterday with a Burmese government official.
Images on Burmese state television showed Mrs. Suu Kyi and government minister Aung Kyi seated in high-backed chairs having a discussion.
The Nobel peace laureate was driven from her home to a nearby government guest house, where she held talks with Aung Kyi, the newly appointed “minister for relations,” the report said.
It was the first known meeting between Mrs. Suu Kyi and the retired major general who was appointed to the post Oct. 8.
His exact duties have not been detailed, but it appears Aung Kyi will coordinate all of Mrs. Suu Kyi’s contacts with both the regime and the United Nations, which is seeking to end the political deadlock between democracy advocates and the junta.
Appointing a liaison officer was suggested by U.N. special envoy Ibrahim Gambari during a visit to Burma weeks ago, the state press said. Mr. Gambari met with top junta officials and with Mrs. Suu Kyi twice at a government guest house during his visit.
Zalmay Khalilzad, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said “the meeting is a good thing, but not sufficient.”
“There is a need for a full reconciliation process to start, a transition” to democracy, he told reporters at U.N. headquarters in New York.
Mr. Khalilzad said the United States and the United Nations are trying to get India, China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to use their influence to encourage the government to change Mrs. Suu Kyi’s conditions, speed Mr. Gambari’s return and release prisoners.
The Burmese government was castigated for sending troops to crush peaceful protests last month. The military junta said 10 persons were killed, but diplomats and dissidents say the death toll is likely much higher. Thousands were arrested, and the hunt for participants is reportedly continuing.
Aung Kyi, who on Wednesday was elevated by the government to labor minister from deputy labor minister, has a reputation among foreign diplomats, U.N. officials and aid groups as being relatively accessible and reasonable, compared with junta leaders, who are suspicious of outsiders.
Earlier this month, the government said the junta leader, Senior Gen. Than Shwe, was willing to speak with Mrs. Suu Kyi — but only if she met certain conditions, such as renouncing support for other countries’ economic sanctions against the military regime.
Meanwhile, Mr. Gambari met with Chinese officials for a second day of talks yesterday to push Beijing to pressure Burmese leaders to ease the restrictions on pro-democracy activists.
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