UN Chief in Burma for Talks

Posted April 29th, 2012 at 4:55 am (UTC-5)
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U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has arrived in Burma where he will meet with Nobel Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and Burmese President Thein Sein.

Mr. Ban arrived in Rangoon, Burma's main city, Sunday and flies to the administrative capital, Naypyidaw, later in the day.

He is scheduled to address Burma's parliament Monday — the first such address by a visiting foreign dignitary.

European Union Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton is also in Burma, following the recent suspension of European Union sanctions against the long-isolated country.

Mr. Ban and Ashton are both scheduled to meet with President Sein Monday. It is not clear if they will meet with him together or separately.

Tuesday the U.N. Secretary General meets with Aung San Suu Kyi, who leads Burma's opposition National League for Democracy.

Ashton, who already has met with the opposition leader, opened a new EU office in Rangoon Saturday to oversee the management of aid programs and to handle political matters.