Asia-Pacific News

Jul 6, 2009, 13:12 GMT

Ban calls on Myanmar to hold free elections next year

Geneva = United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said Monday that Myanmar should hold 'free and fair' elections next year which would include all the national political parties. He was speaking in Geneva after having visited the country over the weekend. 'I went to Myanmar to convey to the highest authorities the concerns and expectations of the international community for democracy and the protection of human rights,' Ban told reporters, saying that he asked for the inclusion of all parties in the political process. He again called for the 'release of all political prisoners including Aung San Suu Kyi.' In a stopover Saturday in Bangkok after leaving Myanmar, Ban said he was 'deeply disappointed' that he was not allowed to meet with Aung San Suu Kyi, 64, who has won the Nobel peace prize but has been imprisoned for 14 of the past 20 years by the ruling junta. Her party, the National League for Democracy, has been refusing to participate in next year's election. While it won the 1990 vote it was never allowed any power. Ban also called on the generals to allow more humanitarian aid into the country, particularly to help victims of Cyclone Nargis.

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