A United Nations human rights envoy visiting Burma says he will meet with pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi in Rangoon.
Paulo Sergio Pinheiro told Reuters news agency that the meeting with the Nobel Laureate, who is under house arrest, will take place on Thursday. Mr. Pinheiro says Burma's military government granted him permission to meet with Aung San Suu Kyi.
The U.N. envoy continued his visit to Burma today (Wednesday) by interviewing political prisoners at the notorious Insein jail in Rangoon. It was his first trip to the prison since March, when he cut short a visit to Burma after finding a listening device at the jail, where he was talking to political prisoners.
Mr. Pinheiro says one of his top priorities is to win the release of up to 1300 political prisoners being held in Burmese jails. He also has met with Burmese Prime Minister Khin Nyunt and Foreign Minister Win Aung during his trip.
The envoy from the U.N. Commission on Human Rights is in Burma to investigate suspected human rights abuses. His talks with officials were expected to focus on several issues, including political unrest in May that led to Aung San Suu Kyi's arrest.