UN envoy to Myanmar Mr Razali Ismail met with democracy leader Ms Aung San Suu Kyi at her residence today as part of a mission to promote her historic dialogue with the junta, sources said.
The Malaysian diplomat spent nearly two hours at the lakeside villa, immediately after hour-long talks with the military regime's powerful intelligence chief, Lieutenant General Khin Nyunt.
Mr Razali arrived in Myanmar on Monday, a day after the junta released two senior members of the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) who had been under virtual house arrest since September.
The release of Tin Oo and Aung Shwe, which was hailed as a significant goodwill gesture by observers in Yangon, left Aung San Suu Kyi the sole NLD leader confined to her house by the military regime.
Before the release of her two top lieutenants, the democracy leader was said to be frustrated at the slow pace of the releases, with some 170 freed in small groups since the secret talks began.
But the NLD said Monday that she "expressed great satisfaction" at the decision to allow the pair to go free, a move that could help revive the party's activities.
Observers hope that Mr Razali's visit will accelerate the pace of the dialogue, which he helped initiate last October.
The contacts, the first since 1994, are aimed at initiating an official national reconciliation dialogue that could lead to democratic reforms after four decades of absolute military rule.
Earlier today the UN envoy held talks with high-ranking officials, including Foreign Minister Mr Win Aung, and attended a luncheon for diplomats and business leaders.
On Wednesday he is to meet with representatives of six pro-democracy ethnic political parties who are anxious to be invited to join the 10-month-old talks between the opposition and the junta.
He is expected to see both Khin Nyunt and Aung San Suu Kyi once more before leaving, as he has on his previous four visits.
AFP