UN envoy urges China to support Burma protesters

A UN envoy began a second day of talks today to push China to do more to get Burma’s military junta to stop its crackdown on pro-democracy protests.

Making his fifth stop in a six-nation tour, Ibrahim Gambari met Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Wang Yi a day after Minister He Yafei expressed backing for the UN envoy’s efforts.

“We will continue to support you in playing a constructive role in finding a peaceful resolution in Burma,” Wang said before the two began their talks.

China – a political partner of Burma’s junta and one of its top trading partners – has joined UN Security Council members in criticising the crackdown and has nudged the junta to talk with Gambari.

However, it has also blocked the Security Council from imposing sanctions or taking stronger action.

Gambari’s regional tour is aimed at mustering support and finding ways to get the junta to relent on its month-old violent suppression of pro-democracy protests in which thousands have been detained.

He has called on Beijing to play a more active role and issued a similar plea to India, his previous stop before arriving in Beijing.

Just ahead of his arrival in Beijing, the United Nations said Burma had agreed to move up the date of Gambari’s next visit to early November from mid-November.