UN chief convenes second 'Group of Friends' meeting on Burma

Mizzima News
February 14, 2008

Continuing with his efforts to usher in political reforms in Burma, Ban Ki-moon, United Nations Secretary General on Wednesday convened a meeting of the 14-member 'Group of Friends' to review recent developments in Burma, where the military junta on Saturday announced holding a referendum in May, followed by general elections in 2010.

While details of the second meeting of the 'Group of Friends' on Burma were not disclosed, the members discussed the Burmese junta's announcement on the referendum and general elections.

Earlier this week, the world body chief called on the Burmese junta to make the constitutional referendum scheduled to be held in May representative of the views of the people of Burma - a stand neutral to western countries and Burma's neighbours.

Following the Burmese junta's announcement on Saturday on the referendum and elections, Singapore, the current Chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), of which Burma is a member, applauded it saying it is a positive development.

However, western nations including the UK and US have dismissed the junta's announcement saying it does not represent the views of the people of Burma.

Ban Ki-moon told members of the 'Group of Friends' that his special envoy Ibrahim Gambari would visit China on February 18 and 19 followed by stops in Jakarta and Singapore.

The Group of Friends is made up of Australia, China, France, India, Indonesia, Japan, Norway, Russia, Singapore, Thailand, the United Kingdom, the United States, Vietnam and Slovenia (current President of the European Union).