U.N. special advisor Ibrahim Gambari is scheduled to arrive in Myanmar on Saturday, his second visit to the Southeast Asian country since authorities used force in response to a series of peaceful protests that began in August. The six-day visit follows Gambari's recently concluded tour of Myanmar's regional partners that included stops in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, China, and Japan. During the upcoming visit, Gambari will follow up on his offer to facilitate implementation of the recommendations made to the government during his last mission, U.N. spokeswoman Michele Montas told reporters. The recommendations include immediate steps to address human-rights concerns following the recent crisis and a framework for meaningful and timely dialogue between the government and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi as a necessary part of an inclusive national-reconciliation process. Gambari also will follow up on implementation of confidence-building measures, including the possibility of establishing a participatory constitutional-review mechanism and a broad-based poverty-alleviation commission. “Mr. Gambari will consult with a broad range of representatives of Myanmar society, including all the groups which he was not able to see last time. He looks forward to the continued cooperation of the Myanmar government in this regard,” Montas said. Before his trip to Myanmar, Gambari will meet with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday in Istanbul, where they will discuss a substantive agenda and ways to facilitate the democratic process, including the release of political detainees, Montas said.
