Election in Myanmar in 2010; Myanmar refutes the UNICEF report; Ban Ki-moon urged to visit Myanmar; Shiv Shankar Menon visits Myanmar
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    • The military junta announced on February 9 that it will hold a referendum on a new constitution in May 2008 to be followed by elections in 20101. National League for Democracy (NLD) on its part expressed surprise over the announcement noting that the junta had fixed the time for the elections even before the results of the constitutional referendum were known2.

    In other developments, Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej urged the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to make a personal visit to Myanmar to press the junta to accept international talks on political reforms3. Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon was also in Myanmar during the week for talks with the authorities. Reports noted that among the issues on the agenda included pressing the junta to accept one more round of talks with the UN envoy Ibrahim Gambari. Mr. Menon’s visit has however been dismissed by the pro-democracy leaders as another attempt to gain access to the country’s natural recourses4.

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