Burma: 'Significant progress on way'

A United Nations envoy who ended a week-long visit to Burma says he hopes ‘‘significant progress’’ can be made in the near future on reconciliation talks between the ruling military region and the pro-democracy opposition.

Razali Ismail, the secretary-general’s special envoy, held talks with senior government officials and detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi in his latest attempt to speed up reconciliation talks.

Razali encouraged both the government and Suu Kyi ‘‘to develop their talks as soon as possible into a substantive dialogue’’.