A senior United Nations envoy has met in Burma with members of the nation's opposition National League for Democracy (N.L.D.).
U.N. political affairs envoy Ibrahim Gambari met the opposition group members at a government building Friday in Rangoon. He had asked Burma's military regime for permission to meet the N.L.D.'s detained leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, but opposition members say it appears doubtful he will be allowed to meet with her.
Gambari is the first high-ranking U.N. official to be allowed into Burma in more than two years.
The three-day visit is designed to press the country's military government to improve human rights and speed up the restoration of democracy.
The envoy is scheduled to hold talks with Burma's leader, Senior General Than Shwe, on Saturday in the country's new administrative capital, Naypyidaw.
The U.N. says Gambari will tell Burma's rulers they must make tangible progress in restoring democracy and respecting human rights so as to improve relations with the international community.
Information for this report is provided by AFP.
