Wednesday, August 24, 2011

UN envoy meets with Burma's Suu Kyi

Tomas Ojea Quintana, center, U.N. special envoy on human rights in Myanmar, leaves after meeting with Burma's Aung San Suu Kyi, right, at her home on Aug. 24, 2011, in Rangoon (AP/Khin Maung Win).



RANGOON, Burma (AP) — Burma's pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi says she is encouraged after meeting with the U.N. human rights envoy to Burma (Myanmar).

She says Wednesday's 90-minute meeting in the former capital with Tomas Ojea Quintana and leaders of her disbanded National League for Democracy party focused on the country's more than 2,000 political prisoners and other human rights issues. She says Quintana has a "genuine will to help improve human rights conditions in Myanmar."

Quintana says he has had "fruitful meetings" with government ministers and representatives of political parties. He will brief the media Thursday. His five-day visit to Burma is his first since a nominally civilian [still militaristic authoritarian] government took power in March. He was refused a visa for over a year.

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