(United Nations) We must avoid “more violence” and “a civil war” in Burma, the Chinese ambassador to the UN said on Friday after a meeting of the Security Council during which the new UN envoy said he hoped to go to the country soon.
Posted at 3:52 p.m.
“We must avoid the situation getting worse, avoid more violence, avoid a civil war. This is the main goal we should have in mind,” Zhang Jun told some media after the two-hour closed-door meeting.
Asked whether the new UN envoy, Singaporean Noeleen Heyzer, would soon visit Burma, the Chinese diplomat said she had asked the junta to do so.
“We have to give him more time. She speaks to all parties involved. She also asked for that,” a visit to Burma, and “there is hope she can get it,” he said.
UK Deputy Ambassador James Kariuki, who had called for the Security Council meeting, confirmed the UN envoy’s willingness to go soon to Burma, which has been under full military control since the coup of State of 1er February 2021.
“She will try to go soon, but the conditions must be met,” he said without further details.
James Kariuki said the briefings by Noeleen Heyzer and Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn, Burma Mediator on behalf of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), had been substantial.
The latter reported on a controversial trip to Burma in early January by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, in which he took part. The visit was the first by a foreign leader to Burma since the coup. Critics have warned of the risk of legitimizing the junta and undermining efforts to isolate the generals.
“We had a lot of elements from the two emissaries, which was important” because it was the “first time they spoke to the Council”, argued James Kariuki. He said his country was “working on a statement to try to reflect the areas of agreement within the Council”, but that he did not expect unanimous approval this Friday.
The Cambodian visit “was pretty good, pretty fruitful,” said Zhang Jun. “We welcome the actions, the efforts made by ASEAN, by the Cambodian Prime Minister” and “we asked them to continue their efforts”, he added.
ASEAN had agreed in April on a “five-point consensus” aimed at restoring dialogue, and accepted by the junta but little followed by effects since. The military, which justified the coup on alleged massive electoral fraud in 2020, continues to suppress dissent, often violently.