United Nations – After initial resistance from China, the U.N. Security Council issued a statement of concern about Myan mar’s violent crackdown on Buddhist monks Wednesday and urged the military regime to let in a special envoy.
Secretary-General Ban Ki- Moon’s special envoy, Ibrahim Gambari, was expected to leave for the region immediately after briefing the emergency council meeting on the violence.
Council diplomats said China, which has close economic ties to Myanmar, didn’t want any document issued after the closed-door session but relented and agreed to a brief statement.
“Members of the council have expressed their concern vis a vis the situation, and have urged restraint, especially from the government of Myanmar,” the statement said.
Ban called on Myanmar’s government to exercise its “utmost restraint” and later met one on one with Myanmar’s Foreign Minister Nyan Win. When asked by a journalist about the five reported deaths, Win replied: “You asked if five people died, and we said no.”
The U.S. and the council’s European Union members – Britain, France, Italy and Belgium – had condemned the attacks.
“What’s going on in Burma is outrageous,” U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said after a luncheon meeting of ministers from the eight major industrialized nations. “The regime needs to stop using violence against peaceful people and get to a dialogue so that they can have reconciliation.”
China and Russia contend that the situation in Myanmar is an internal affair and doesn’t threaten international peace and security – as required for Security Council action – so getting them to agree to the press statement was considered a positive step.
Although China is Myanmar’s most important trading partner, investor and strategic ally, Beijing has also maintained discreet links with opponents of its military rulers, and it tolerates the activity of some exiled opponents on Chinese soil, political analysts said Wednesday.
Already stung by human- rights activists who have warned that its ties with Sudan’s repressive government could cast the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing as the “Genocide Olympics,” China wants to avoid further damage to its reputation from Myanmar’s handling of political dissent, analysts and foreign diplomats in Beijing say.
They also note that China wants stability in Myanmar because it is an important supplier of raw materials, including natural gas, timber and minerals.
The New York Times contributed to this report.
