Koffi Annan's report

[asb@xxxxxxxxxxx]

UNITED
NATIONS

Economic and Social
Council
Distr.
GENERAL

E/CN.4/1999/29
7 April 1999

Original:  ENGLISH


COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS
Fifty fifth session
Agenda item 9
      QUESTION OF THE VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND FUNDAMENTAL 
                   FREEDOMS IN ANY PART OF THE WORLD
                 Situation of human rights in Myanmar
       Report of the Secretary-General submitted pursuant to
                General Assembly resolution 53/162
                         I. INTRODUCTION 
1.   The present report is submitted pursuant to paragraph 19 of
General Assembly resolution 53/162 of 9 December 1998, in which the
Assembly
requested me to continue my discussions with the Government of Myanmar on
the
situation of human rights and the restoration of democracy and to submit
additional reports to the Assembly during its fifty-third session on the
progress of these discussions, and to report to the Assembly at its
fifty fourth session and to the Commission on Human Rights at its
fifty fifth session.
2.   The Commission will be aware from my report to the General Assembly
(A/53/657) of the actions that I have taken in light of developments in
Myanmar in July 1998.  Mr. Alvaro de Soto, Assistant Secretary-General for
Political Affairs, met Foreign Minister U Ohn Gyaw on 25 September 1998 at
United Nations Headquarters.  At that meeting, the Foreign Minister
conveyed 
  his Government's positive response to a proposal, made in July, to have
Mr. de Soto visit Yangon as my Special Envoy.  Mr. de Soto visited Yangon
from
27 to 30 October 1998 and held consultations with Secretary-1 of the State
Peace and Development Council (SPDC), Lieutenant-General Khin Nyunt,
Foreign Minister U Ohn Gyaw and Minister in the Office of the Prime
Minister,
Brigadier-General David Abel.  He also held discussions with Central
Executive
Committee members of the National League for Democracy (NLD), including
its
General Secretary, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.  These consultations are
described in
my report to the General Assembly.  However, it has not been possible to
arrange for senior-level contacts with the SPDC since the adoption of
resolution 53/162 by the General Assembly. 
3.   Efforts are currently being undertaken for a visit to Myanmar by my
Special Envoy in the month of May.  The responsibility for fact-finding

and
reporting on the human rights situation in Myanmar rests with the Special
Rapporteur appointed by the Commission on Human Rights for that purpose. 
The
mandate entrusted to me by the General Assembly is one of good offices
central
to which is the high-level dialogue with the SPDC and other parties.  I
will
therefore report to the General Assembly and to the Commission, as
appropriate
and timely, in light of the continuation of that dialogue.