Rangoon, Burma (BBN)- United Nations chief arrived in Rangoon Friday for a two-day official visit during which he will press for the release of all political prisoners including Aung San Suu Kyi.
Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is expected to fly to the country’s administrative capital, Naypyitaw later Friday to meet Burmese Senior General Than Shwe, and 25 representatives from political parties, including four leaders from the National League for Democracy (NLD) opposition party.
During the meeting with Burmese senior leadership, the UN chief is expected to focus on a plea for the release of all political prisoners including Aung San Suu Kyi, resumption of dialogue between the government and opposition leaders to hold a credible election planned in 2010.
The UN chief last visited the South East Asian country in May 2008 to accept international aid in the wake of devastating Cyclone Nargis, which killed around 138,000 people.
Mr. Ban is set to visit the region hit by Nargis on his latest trip.
Aung San Suu Kyi has been in detention or under house arrest for 13 of the last 19 years since the junta refused to recognize the NLD’s landslide victory in Burma’s last elections, in 1990.
Party spokesman Nyan Win said he and the rest of her legal team had met her for two hours in jail on Thursday and discussed Ban’s visit.
