Indonesia plans to send a special envoy to Burma soon to assess progress on the military junta's promised moves toward democracy.
Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda said today (Friday) that Ali Alatas would visit Burma as President Megawati Sukarnoputri's special envoy. He did not give a timetable but said "hopefully it will be soon."
Indonesia sent Mr. Alatas to Burma last September to press its generals to release democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi before a summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations the following month.
He returned disappointed, but Burma did not face censure from fellow ASEAN members at the summit.
Burma promised last December to work toward a road map to democracy by convening a constitutional convention this year, but did not present a timetable for reforms.
Indonesia is the current chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
Information for this report is provided by AFP and Reuters.