UNITED NATIONS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 18th March, 2021) UN Special Envoy on Myanmar Christine Schraner Burgener is unable under the current circumstances to visit the country, but plans to travel to the region to engage Myanmar's neighbors as part of her efforts to calm the situation amid the military coup, United Nations spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said during a press briefing on Thursday.
"A visit to the country under the current circumstances is not yet possible, as highlighted during the Special Envoys consultations with various key stakeholders. She is continuing to evaluate openings. Meanwhile, the Special Envoy will aim to engage Myanmar's neighboring countries through a regional visit," Dujarric told reporters.
The spokesman said no date has yet been set for the regional visit, but Schraner Burgener would like to dispatch "as soon as practicable."
The Special Envoy will seek to speak to as many of Myanmar's neighbors as would be possible, including the member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), to set the stage for dialogue and return to democracy in Myanmar, Dujarric added.
The United Nations said earlier in the day, the number of peaceful protesters killed by security forces since the February 1 seizure of power has climbed to about 200.
