UNITED NATIONS—A U.N. envoy who was unable to meet with the senior general of Burma's military junta failed to achieve as much as the United Nations had hoped during a visit to the country, the U.N. chief said Monday.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was referring to the visit of U.N. special envoy Ibrahim Gambari, who left Burma (called "Myanmar) by the ruling junta) Monday after seeing detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi twice in three days but without convincing the military junta to include her in its plans for political reform.
"There was some progress but we have not been able to achieve as much we had hoped," Ban told reporters at a news conference on Africa and the global fight against poverty.
He said Gambari did not meet with senior general Than Shwe but did see "many senior people, even including the constitution drafting or review committee members."
"That was unusual," Ban said.
He said he would "continue to press the reform issue so that Burma will meet the expectations of the international community toward democratization."
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