SUMMARY: "Ministry of Under Secretary for Burma Pratibha Parkar told Poloff that UN Special Envoy for Burma Ibrahim Gambari asked the Government of India (GOI) for support during his recent visit to India. Gambari asked the GOI to use its influence to encourage the Burmese to allow him to visit Burma sooner than late April 2008, adding that he was willing to meet with them in a third country, Parkar stated. She indicated that Foreign Secretary Menon, currently in Rangoon, would reinforce this message to the Burmese, and that the Indians had already asked Burma to show more flexibility. Parkar confirmed that Menon would discuss the Sittwe Port development deal while in Burma. Though Indian officials indicate that the GOI will step up its rhetoric against the Burmese junta, it has yet to do so visibly." END SUMMARY.