The new United Nations envoy on human rights in Burma has said he hopes for an open and cooperative dialogue with its military leaders. The envoy, Tomas Ojea Quintana from Argentina, said he would be going into such a dialogue with his eyes wide open: his own parents had been imprisoned by a military government. Mr Quintana -- in his post for a month -- has not yet received a reply to his request to visit Burma. But as a man whose own parents were imprisoned under Argentina's military government, he insisted he would be going into such a dialogue with his eyes wide open. " I am from Argentina, and I understand that I am dealing with a military regime. I understand that this military regime is violating human rights, so I'm not innocent of my function. What I'm saying is that I am expecting to build a relationship with the government of cooperation, of talking, of speaking, and I understand that this will be important in order to protect the rights of the people," Mr Quintana said.
New UN envoy wants Burma dialogue
The new United Nations envoy on human rights in Burma has said he hopes for an open and cooperative dialogue with its military leaders.
The envoy, Tomas Ojea Quintana from Argentina, said he would be going into such a dialogue with his eyes wide open: his own parents had been imprisoned by a military government.
Mr Quintana in his post for a month has not yet received a reply to his request to visit Burma.
He called for the release of all political prisoners there; Burmese officials deny anyone has been arrested there for political reasons.
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