UNSC Deadlocked on Burma

By LALIT K JHA
The Irrawaddy News

The Security Council remains deadlocked on a presidential statement on Burma even as diplomats of the 15-member UN body met last week for the second time in a month.

Diplomatic sources told The Irrawaddy that representatives from the Security Council member nations met on Thursday to discuss the second draft proposed by three permanent members—the United States, Britain and France.

A copy of the second draft obtained by The Irrawaddy reflects the urgency on the part of the three Western powers as time seems to be fast running out in the run-up to the May 10 referendum on the draft constitution, which is heavily loaded in favor of the Burmese military junta.

However, it appears that the two staunch supporters of the military junta—veto-wielding China and Russia—are in no hurry and continue to block any effort for a discussion or move to get the non-binding presidential statement passed by the Security Council.

With both groups apparently reluctant to change their respective stands, diplomatic sources said the next meeting on the US-proposed presidential statement would be held at the ambassadorial level.

However, it is not clear when the permanent representatives of the 15-member Security Council would be meeting on the issue of Burma.

While there is little change between the two drafts of the presidential statements except for the replacement of words here and there, the second draft circulated among the member nations last week urged the Burmese military government and all parties concerned to co-operate fully with the United Nations.

Given that the time is running out, the proposed presidential statement urges the Burmese junta to take on an "urgent basis," instead of a "timely manner" (as was in the previous draft)," concrete, meaningful steps" that result in genuine, "substantive" (added this time) dialogue with Aung San Suu Kyi and all concerned parties and ethnic groups in order to achieve an inclusive national reconciliation with the direct support of the United Nations.

Except for these minor amendments, there has not been any change between the two drafts, which China and Russia have opposed.

Referring to the May 10 referendum, the draft statement calls on the junta to make the process all inclusive and credible by allowing full participation of all political actors, including Suu Kyi.

It reminds the Burmese regime of its commitment to have a free and fair referendum in which all parties will be allowed to participate on equal terms. The statement stresses that this commitment must be followed by action, including the guarantee of freedoms of expression, association and assembly in the political process leading up to the referendum, as well as independent monitoring of the vote counting.

Last week, the US ambassador to the UN, Zalmay Khalilzad, acknowledged that their efforts to send a strong message to the military junta had not yet been successful.

Expressing frustration at the Russian and Chinese vetoes, Khalilzad said, "The Council cannot be silent—should not be silent—in the face of what has happened and what has not happened."