July 4 (Bloomberg) -- Myanmar's military junta blocked Ban Ki-moon from meeting with opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi as the United Nations chief seeks to free political prisoners in the country. The regime announced the decision after a second meeting between the UN head and Myanmar leader Than Shwe in the capital of Naypyidaw, Agence France-Presse reported, citing Ban. Ban is on a two-day visit to the Southeast Asian nation, pressing the government to free 2,100 political prisoners, resume national reconciliation and ensure credible elections next year. Suu Kyi, who has spent 13 years in detention since her party won the last elections in 1990, faces prison for allegedly violating a house arrest order. Pro-democracy campaigners say the potential five-year jailing is designed to prevent the 64- year-old Nobel Peace Price winner from contesting polls promised by the ruling generals in 2010. Suu Kyi was transferred to prison last month to face trial, with prosecutors alleging she allowed an American intruder to stay for two days after he swam to her lakeside home in Yangon.
July 4 (Bloomberg) -- Myanmar's military junta blocked Ban Ki-moon from meeting with opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi as the United Nations chief seeks to free political prisoners in the country.
The regime announced the decision after a second meeting between the UN head and Myanmar leader Than Shwe in the capital of Naypyidaw, Agence France-Presse reported, citing Ban.
Ban is on a two-day visit to the Southeast Asian nation, pressing the government to free 2,100 political prisoners, resume national reconciliation and ensure credible elections next year.
Suu Kyi, who has spent 13 years in detention since her party won the last elections in 1990, faces prison for allegedly violating a house arrest order. Pro-democracy campaigners say the potential five-year jailing is designed to prevent the 64- year-old Nobel Peace Price winner from contesting polls promised by the ruling generals in 2010.
Suu Kyi was transferred to prison last month to face trial, with prosecutors alleging she allowed an American intruder to stay for two days after he swam to her lakeside home in Yangon.
According to reports from Burma, Ban met with Than Shwe again on Saturday, only to have his request for a chance to speak with Suu Kyi shot down a second time."I pressed as hard as I could," Ban told reporters after the meeting. "I had hoped that he would agree to my request, but it is regrettable that he did not," he said, adding that he was "deeply disappointed" with the situation.Nyan Win, a spokesman for Suu Kyi's party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), told The Irrawaddy on Saturday that the regime's refusal to allow a meeting between Ban and Suu Kyi sent the signal that Than Shwe has no interest in genuine political reform or national reconciliation.
"I pressed as hard as I could," Ban told reporters after the meeting. "I had hoped that he would agree to my request, but it is regrettable that he did not," he said, adding that he was "deeply disappointed" with the situation.
Nyan Win, a spokesman for Suu Kyi's party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), told The Irrawaddy on Saturday that the regime's refusal to allow a meeting between Ban and Suu Kyi sent the signal that Than Shwe has no interest in genuine political reform or national reconciliation.
