By Matthew Russell Lee
www.innercitypress.com/banvac2myanmar080509.html
UNITED NATIONS, August 5 -- Emerging from a meeting with his Group of Friend on Myanmar, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon was asked by Inner City Press what he makes of reports that Myanmar is developing a nuclear reactor or even, in an early stage, nuclear weapons with the assistance of North Korea and Russia. "I do not have any information on that," Mr. Ban replied, "therefore I am not able to comment on that."
Afterwards, a senior Ban advisor told Inner City Press that Mr. Ban had been prepared to answer the question, and that the planned if-asked talking point was that the UN does not have an substantial or verifiable information, but that if it is true, it is a matter of grave concern as this is precisely the moment the international community should be driving toward non-proliferation. Oh that Ban had said that.
It was also explained to Inner City Press that if it had managed to ask if Ban favors modification of the country's constitution, pushed through in the wake of Cyclone Nargis, which devotes 25% of seats to people with military backgrounds, Ban probably would not have answer. "The Group of Friends is divided on that," the source explained.
He argued against the theory that the timing of Wednesday's meeting was meant to allow Ban, before he set off on vacation, to speak his piece Myanmar. Rather, he said, some thing that Myanmar blinked on July 31 and put off the Aung San Suu Kyi verdict.
With another statement, perhaps they'll think hard about what verdict to impose. But again, Inner City Press asks, not without sarcasm, does that mean Ban questions the separation in Myanmar between the judicial and executive - or military - branches of government? We're not commenting on that, a UN official answered. Nor about the Constitution. Watch this site.
