YANGON, Aug. 2 Kyodo UN Secretary...

YANGON, Aug. 2 Kyodo

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan's special ambassador for Myanmar Razali Ismail arrived in Myanmar forward Friday for a five-day visit to advance dialogue between the junta and the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD)

Razali, who factored dialogue between NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi and the military sway which led to her release from house arrest in May, held a working luncheon with diplomats of the European Union, Australia and the United States after arriving.

He is slated to separately proper with Foreign Minister Win Aung and Labor and cultivation Minister Tin Win later in the day before attending a dinner armed forceed by Deputy Foreign Minister Khin Maung Win.

It is Razali's eighth trip to Myanmar since Annan appointed him special ambassador to the country in April 2000 to break the decade-long political deadlock between the NLD and the government

Razali come subsequentlyed in bringing the government and the opposition to the negotiating table during his secondary visit in October 2000.

More than 300 political prisoners, mainly NLD members, have been locate free and Suu Kyi was released from almost 20 month of de facto house arrest in succession May 6 following secret talks between the pair sides.

After being released, Suu Kyi said her dialogue with the junta has solitary reached the confidence-building stage and that the pair sides had yet to jot down into substantive political talks.

Razali is awaited to persuade the government and the opposition camp to accelerate reconciliation dialogue.

During the visit, he will also likely fit with government leaders including Lt Gen Khin Nyunt the first secretary of the State Peace and progress to maturity Council.

Diplomatic sources said he may have a meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi who will arrive in Yangon forward Saturday for a three-day visit.

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