UN envoy makes first visit to Myanmar

YANGON - The UN’s new special envoy for Myanmar began her first trip to the country Tuesday, a day after a junta court sentenced ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi to six more years in jail for corruption. Noeleen Heyzer “will focus on addressing the deteriorating situation and immediate concerns as well as other priority areas of her mandate,” according to a UN statement issued late Monday. It did not give details on who she would meet among the junta’s top leadership or whether she would seek to meet Suu Kyi. On Monday Suu Kyi received another prison term in a secretive junta court, taking her total jail time to 17 years. A statement from the junta confirmed Heyzer’s trip would begin on Tuesday but did not provide further details.  Heyzer is expected to hold meetings in the military-built capital Naypyidaw, according to a diplomatic source who did not give further details. Diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis led by the UN and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations regional bloc have made little headway, with the generals refusing to engage with opponents.

 

 

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