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Statement attributable to the Spokesman for the Secretary-General on Myanmar
Statements | Spokesperson for the Secretary-General
Statements | Spokesperson for the Secretary-General
The Secretary-General welcomes the release of political prisoners that began in Yangon on Thursday following a statement by the Government that 115 political prisoners would be freed, including many members of the National League for Democracy (NLD).
During his visit from 12-16 November, the Secretary-General's Special Envoy Razali Ismail strongly urged the government to release political prisoners in a large number at one time so that more than 200 political detainees would have been released by the end of 2002. The Secretary-General hopes this first large-scale release will provide fresh momentum for the national reconciliation process in that country.