"We're Moving!"

"HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING

BY MICHELE MONTAS
SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON

U.N. HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Thursday, September 6, 2007

http://www.un.org/News/ossg/hilites.shtml

MYANMAR ACTION UP TO SECURITY COUNCIL

* Asked about a letter from 88 students in Myanmar that urged the Secretary-General to bring the issue of Myanmar to the Security Council, the Spokeswoman said that the letter had been received, as had a letter from a number of Hollywood personalities urging the release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.
* She said that there have been a number of interventions by UN officials, including the Secretary-General, High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour and Special Adviser Ibrahim Gambari, on the situation in Myanmar. She later highlighted some elements of the press briefing given by Gambari on Wednesday, in which he called once again on Myanmar to release its political detainees, including those arrested during the recent peaceful demonstrations.
* The Special Adviser had noted that the United Nations is the only international actor to maintain a face-to-face dialogue with Myanmar’s top leaders and with Aung San Suu Kyi, the opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate.
* Montas quoted Gambari as saying that the United Nations is “moving very systematically to line up the support of the international community” to ensure that all key countries are working together to spur Myanmar to make progress, and it is making use of the Secretary-General’s good offices to pursue peace.
* The Spokesperson noted, however, that was it up to the Security Council to determine what is on its agenda. "