United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan is understood to have suggested that the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) encourage the military-ruled Myanmar to move towards democracy, according to Malaysia. This comes in the context of moves by some Western powers to take the `intractable' issue to the U.N. Security Council.

Mr. Annan's apparent expectations acquire importance on two other counts too - the recent resignation by U.N. Special Envoy to Myanmar Razali Ismail, a former Malaysian diplomat; and the Council recognising the need to discuss Myanmar's dismal human rights situation.

Mr. Razali seemed to have been unable to visit Myanmar for nearly two years after the initial talks he held with the parties concerned. His frustration has been generally traced to the intransigence of Myanmar's junta. It has not only refused to take credible steps to engage democracy icon Aung San Sui Kyi but also failed to quicken the implementation of its own selective "roadmap for democracy."

The Council's move came after Myanmar's rulers successfully dodged Western pressure on democracy by giving up their rotational right to chair the ASEAN in 2006. The move for Council scrutiny includes the possibility of imposing economic sanctions on Myanmar.

Malaysian Foreign Minister Hamid Albar is awaiting the junta's clearance to visit the country on behalf of the ASEAN. Mr. Hamid has taken the line that democracy is "not a security concern" of the international community to merit scrutiny by the Council.

Indonesia, keen to re-establish itself as the prime ASEAN player, is also planning an initiative with U.S. encouragement. The possibility of a visit to Myanmar by Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is being explored, according to diplomatic sources.

Source: The Hindu