U.N. envoy to push China to do more on Myanmar

By Adhityani Arga

JAKARTA (Reuters) - A U.N. envoy said on Thursday he would press China to lean harder on Myanmar's junta to open dialogue with detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi following last month's brutal crackdown on democracy protests.

Ibrahim Gambari praised Beijing, the closest the former Burma's military rulers have to an ally, for helping to arrange his visit to Yangon after the suppression of the Buddhist monk-led street protests in which at least 10 people died.

"They have helped a lot," the special envoy told a news conference in Jakarta, the latest stop on a regional tour to drum up support for efforts to persuade the generals to talk to Suu Kyi, who has been detained for 12 of the last 18 years.

"Therefore, in the recognition of that, I've been asked to come to Beijing to encourage the Chinese authorities to continue to do more, to move the authorities in Myanmar to move along the path which will sustain dialogue," he said.

"We need to go on one path that is a combination of strong encouragement to authorities in Myanmar to do the right thing along with some incentives to the extent that the world is not going out there to punish Myanmar," he said.

Gambari is due to go to India and then China next week. Both nations bordering Myanmar are seen as having some sway over the military junta, whose official media say 10 people were killed as the protests were stamped out.

Western governments say the toll was probably much higher.

Gambari will also go to Japan, which is still mourning the death of a journalist whom video images suggested was shot at close range by a soldier during a protest.

MILLIONS HUNGRY

The junta says it arrested 2,927 people after the protests, but has released 2,459 after questioning. The latest freed were well-known comedian Zagana and acclaimed movie director Kyaw Thu and his wife.

"It's a clever choice," a Yangon-based diplomat said. "They're high profile, but not key activists."

Washington has urged China to do more and the two have differed over what action the Security Council should take.

Japan cut aid to Myanmar on Tuesday, a day after the European Union stiffened its sanctions and U.S. President George W. Bush threatened to follow suit.

The U.N.'s World Food Program (WFP) is worried the toughening of sanctions could lead to cuts in humanitarian aid to Myanmar's 56 million people -- 5 million of whom are going short of food due to junta restrictions on farming and the free market.

"The world now is saying how concerned it is about the people of Myanmar," WFP regional director Tony Banbury told a news conference in Bangkok. "But so far, with the exception of Australia, we have not seen that turn into donations."