Myanmar, UN envoy calls it quits

Razali Ismail decided he would not renew his contract. "I have not been allowed to visit the Myanmar leadership in Yangon in the past 22 months. So it is time for me to make an exit."

Kuala Lumpur (AsiaNews/Agencies) - The UN special representative to Myanmar has quit his post after being refused entry to the military-ruled country for nearly two years. Former Malaysian diplomat Razali Ismail, who has been trying to break Myanmar's political impasse since 2000, said  he would not renew his contract, which lapsed at the end of last month. "I have not been allowed to visit the Myanmar leadership in Yangon in the past 22 months," he said. "So it is time for me to make an exit."

Mr Razali was the catalyst for the contact between the Myanmar government and jailed pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, which began in October 2000. But he recently admitted that negotiations were foundering and expressed little confidence that Ms Suu Kyi would be released.

He said the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) should take a tougher line. "Asean should talk more, persuade or even cajole the government," Mr Razali said. But initial results have not been promising, with Myanmar on Friday putting off an expected visit by Asean envoy Syed Hamid Albar, Malaysia's foreign minister, with the junta saying it was too busy. Mr Razali expressed disappointment with the development but warned of further delays. "I think Syed Hamid's visit is in line with Asean's aspirations. I think more delays could be expected," he said.

• Myanmar
• onu
• yangon
• military
• junta
• peace
• process
• aung
• san
• suu
• kyi