U.N. Security Council Voices Concern over Suu Kyi Verdict

The U.N. Security Council voiced serious concern on Thursday about a sentence passed on Burmas opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The statement was watered-down, designed to win the consent of the Chinese and Russian authorities.

British Ambassador John Sawers read the statement to journalists.

[John Sawers, British Ambassador]:
The members of the Security Council reaffirm their statements of 11 october 2007, 2 may 2008 and 22 may 2009, on Myanmar, and reiterate the importance of the release of all political prisonners. In this context, the members of the Security Council express serious concern at the conviction and sentencing of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and its political impact. The members of the Security Council note the decision of the government of Myanmar to reduce Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's sentence and urge the government of Myanmar to take further measures to create the necessary conditions for a genuine dialogue with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and all concerned parties and ethnic groups in order to achieve an inclusive national reconciliation."

The statement which was agreed by all 15 council members was diluted from an original U.S. draft, which had condemned the verdict and specifically demanded that the junta free Suu Kyi.

The statement finally confined itself to saying that the council reiterates the importance for the junta to release all political prisoners.

Western diplomats said they would have liked a stronger statement but were anxious to issue something that Chinese and Russian authorities could agree to. The two countries had opposed the issue of any statement before.

The document read out by Sawers was classified as a "press statement," and not like a formal "presidential statement." Therefore it is not written into the council's official proceedings and the council's endorsement of it did not require the body to meet.

The charges against Suu Kyi stemmed from American intruder John Yettaw's two-day uninvited stay at her home in May, which the judge said breached the terms of her existing house arrest.

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[andamanonge]

The US has to prevent Burma from becoming a "Protectorate" of Big Brother China.The more the "West" isolates Burma the more it becomes a Chinese colony. The Chinese economy needs natural resources. They are building a gas pipeline across Burma and port facilities on the West coast of Burma. The Chinese have a strategic military interest in controlling access to the Bay of Bengal. Without the support of China, the military junta could never have survived this long.

[andamanonge]

Yes it is still a dictatorship but the dictators have to listen to the chinese. Burma is becoming a chinese colony, for example part of Burma called the Kokang region is practically under chinese control and the chinese also supply arms to everyone in Burma, the government and all the ethnic rebels, especially the Wa and the Kachin armies.

[japanesewinner]

so burma is still a dictatorship?

[bodomar47]

"Myanmar" = "Mian Dian" = Chinese colony like Kokang so who cares bout ASSK. She's too naive to understand and the generals are too dumb to figure out the tricks played by the Chinese.

hahaha

[clavie05]

Stoping  western hypocrisy now !!!

Free Guantanamo prisoner !!!

Free Iraqis people !!!