Myanmar agrees to receive U.N. envoy

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Myanmar's military junta has agreed to receive a United Nations envoy to discuss the crisis in their country, a U.N. spokeswoman announced on Thursday.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had been "informed by the Myanmar foreign minister that the secretary-general's special envoy will be welcomed by the Myanmar government," U.N. deputy spokeswoman Marie Okabe said. "The secretary-general is pleased with this cooperation."

The U.N. chief sent veteran diplomat Ibrahim Gambari on his mission after security forces used force to try to quell the biggest pro-democracy demonstrations in two decades, led by Buddhist monks. He is now in Myanmar's eastern neighbor, Thailand.