Ex-UN head Ban calls for more diplomatic pressure on Myanmar’s military leaders

By KIM TONG-HYUNG
Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Former U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon sys he’s communicating with authorities in military-run Myanmar as well as members of the armed resistance following a surprise visit to the country last month. He also called for more diplomatic pressure on the ruling generals to end the violence. Ban did not specify the nature of those communications and declined to disclose the details of his conversations with military leaders during their April meetings. He was speaking at a Seoul news conference along with other members of The Elders, a group of senior statesmen engaging in peacemaking and human rights initiatives around the world. Myanmar’s government has consistently rejected outside calls for negotiations and labeled the pro-democracy opposition as terrorists.