Ban sends UN envoy to Myanmar, urges democratic reform

New York - UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said Monday his special envoy will visit Myanmar in mid-October to pursue UN efforts to bring democracy and human rights to that nation.

Ibrahim Gambari last visited Myanmar in 2006 as the chief UN political advisor, but will return there as Ban's envoy following a round of discussion he had held recently with several Asian governments on ways to improve conditions for people living under an authoritarian military regime.

'I am fully committed to working toward the full democratization of Myanmar,' Ban said.

'Let's hope that the government in Myanmar will fully democratize their country, and respect and uphold the aspiration of international community, particularly the release of Mme Aung San Suu Kyi,' Ban said.

Suu Kyi, leader of the National League of Democracy, has been kept under house arrest by the military regime for more than a decade after she won a presidential election.

The UN has criticized the Myanmar regime for excluding opposition political parties in national dialogue and in the drafting of a constitution. The military authorities have rejected repeated UN appeals for the release of Suu Kyi, who won a Nobel Peace Prize for her pro-democracy fight in Myanmar, the former Burma.