China ‘helpful’ in Myanmar crisis: UN envoy

UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari praised China’s “helpful” role in efforts to resolve the Myanmar crisis on Thursday, saying Beijing helped him gain access to the isolated country last month.

The UN diplomat also said he supported engagement with the military regime along with incentives, though he did not elaborate on what those could be. Myanmar’s military junta violently suppressed anti-government protests led by Buddhist monks across the country in September, sparking a global outcry and triggering a fresh international push for democracy.

China is a major supplier of weapons to Myanmar and has come under harsh criticism for its policy of non-interference in the reclusive nation’s affairs.

Speaking in Indonesia on a six-nation tour of Asia aimed at increasing the pressure on the junta, Gambari said Beijing had promoted diplomatic efforts to open dialogue between the junta and opposition.

“China has been very helpful to the secretary general and to me personally... by getting consent of the government of Myanmar (for) my last visit during the crisis,” Gambari said.

“The Chinese authorities continue to do more to move the authorities in Myanmar along the path which can only be sustained by dialogue... between the government and opposition.”

Speaking after meeting Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda, he said the United Nations would “continue to see China as an ally” in dealing with the regime.

Gambari travelled to Myanmar in late September following the crackdown on mass protests that left at least 13 dead, meeting with government and pro-democracy figures, including detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

He said he backed a combination of “strong encouragement of the authorities of Myanmar to do the right thing along with some incentives to say that... the world is not just there to punish Myanmar.”

Gambari is to return to Myanmar in November.

About 3,000 people were arrested when troops put down the demonstrations, which saw more than 100,000 people take to the streets and were the biggest challenge to the military’s rule in nearly 20 years.

Jakarta, Friday, AFP