Associated Press

United Nations, February 19:

Secretary-General Kofi Annan urged Myanmar’s ruling junta to expand its constitution-drafting conference to include opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy and other political parties and ethnic groups.

He warned yesterday that unless the drafting of the constitution and the holding of a national referendum meet internationally accepted standards of conduct and participation, “it may be difficult for the international community, including the countries of the region, to endorse the result.”

Annan renewed his offer to facilitate national reconciliation efforts among all parties, urging the Myanmar government to agree to a visit by his special envoy, Razali Ismail of Malaysia.

The National Convention reconvened on Thursday after a seven-month hiatus. No timetable has been established for the completion of its work.

UN spokesman Fred Eckhard said Annan was concerned at the recent detention of several leaders from the Shan ethnic minority, including the president of the Shan State Peace Council and the chairman of the Shan National League for Democracy.

Myanmar’s information minister, Brig Gen Kyaw Hsan, on Thursday dismissed as inconsequential a boycott by five delegates of the Shan State Army (North) who did not turn up because their leader Hse Htin was detained earlier this month for unknown reasons.

The National League for Democracy boycotted the constitution-drafting meeting because of the junta’s refusal to release Suu Kyi from house arrest. Two other smaller parties also declined to attend.

Myanmar has not had a constitution since the junta seized power in 1988 after crushing a pro-democracy uprising. The junta held elections in 1990, but refused to cede power when Suu Kyi’s party won by a landslide.

Washington has described Myanmar as one of the world’s “outposts of tyranny.”

The United States and European Union have urged the junta to launch a meaningful dialogue with opposition groups and include them in the convention, saying it will otherwise lack legitimacy.

Annan also appealed again to Myanmar authorities “to resume without delay a substantive political dialogue with the representatives of all ethnic nationality groups and political leaders,” including Suu Kyi, Eckhard said.

He called for the remaining constraints on political leaders to be lifted, NLD party offices to reopen, and political prisoners including elected officials to be released, the UN spokesman said.