Burmese PM to attend UNGA

by Mungpi
Tuesday, 22 September 2009 20:40

New Delhi (Mizzima) - Burmese Prime Minister, Thein Sein, will arrive in New York on September 27, to attend the 64th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), diplomatic sources said.

Thein Sein would be joining Burmese Foreign Minister, Nyan Win, who reportedly has already arrived in New York and is attending sessions of the UNGA.

According to sources, Thein Sein would be speaking at the UNGA onBurma on September 28 and will leave on September 29.

However, it is not yet clear whether he will meet any US officials during his visit.

Earlier, a Burmese analyst told Mizzima that he expected a meeting to take place between Burmese Prime Minister, Thein Sein and US officials, possibly even with Secretary Clinton.

Meanwhile, the UN Chief will convene a high level meeting of the "Group of Friends of Myanmar" with foreign ministers from 14 member nations onSeptember 23, 2009. The meeting will also be attended by US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton.

However, Burmese Foreign Minister, Nyan Win, will reportedly not attend the meeting, following which Ban Ki-moon is expected to come out with a press statement.

Nyo Ohn Myint, in-charge of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the NLD-in-exile, said, the Burmese PM and Foreign Minister are likely to capitalize their rare visit to New York, to extend talks with US officials on the possibilities of creating a new avenue in the relations between both countries.

The State Department has said Secretary Clinton is likely to soon announce its Burma Policy, which is currently under review.

In recent months, the Burmese regime, which has been sore with the United States for imposing economic sanctions, has shown goodwill gestures towards the US, indicating their willingness to open up a new relationship, Nyo Ohn Myint said.

Even as Senator Jim Webb, who recently visited Burma and met Snr Gen Than Shwe and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, has openly advocated for greater engagement with the Burmese regime, the US has so far not made any indication of what its new policy on Burma, is likely to be.

Under US sanctions, both Thein Sein and Nyan Win, are banned from entering into US territory. But, since New York hosts the UN headquarters, the generals are exempted under the condition of a diplomatic visit.

Thein Sein would be the highest ranking Burmese official to attend a UN General Assembly, since General Maung Aye, the current vice-senior general, attended the 50th Anniversary Special Commemorative Session of the United Nations General Assembly, in October 1995.