YANGON, Myanmar, Feb. 2 (UPI) -- A U.N. envoy has met with detained pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and five senior members of her Myanmar opposition party, observers say.
Suu Kyi was allowed to leave her home, where she has been held under house arrest for 12 of the past 18 years, to meet with Ibrahim Gambari at the state guesthouse in Yangon Monday, The Times of London reported.
Suu Kyi and other leaders of her National League for Democracy met for 90 minutes with Gambari, special adviser on Myanmar, formerly Burma, for U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, in his latest effort to foster political dialogue with the military junta that rules the nation.
Analysts told The Times there was little chance of breakthrough in lifting Suu Kyi's detention, but the fact that the meeting took place at all is being considered a small success. During Gambari's last visit to Yangon, formerly Rangoon, Suu Kyi refused to see him, possibly in a gesture of disgust at his failure to bring pressure to bear against the regime.
Gambari was expected to travel to Naypitaw, the new capital of Myanmar, but it was uncertain whether he would be able to meet with top military leader Gen. Than Shwe, CNN reported.
