Time to prepare for transition in Myanmar: U.S. envoy

By Patrick Worsnip

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations said on Tuesday it was time to prepare for a government transition in Myanmar but conceded that the ruling military would continue to play a role in the country's future.

Zalmay Khalilzad was speaking shortly before Western powers circulated to the Security Council's 15 members a substantially rewritten version of a proposed statement on the crushing of protests in Myanmar that they first drafted on Friday.

Though considerably watered down from the original, the statement calling for democratization in Myanmar would still mark the first time all the world's major countries, including China, have focused public pressure on the ruling junta.

"We believe it's very important ... that there be negotiations for a transition and that we need to start preparing ourselves with regard to a transition in Burma," Khalilzad told reporters, using Myanmar's former name.

"The military, as a national institution, has its role to play in the transition and post-transition but it's very important that a serious dialogue on transition begins and that the international community, regional players, play their roles."

Following pro-democracy demonstrations that were harshly suppressed by authorities, the junta has named an official to act as go-between in possible talks with detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Khalilzad called for conditions of her detention to be improved so she can prepare for negotiations and urged that U.N. special envoy Ibrahim Gambari, who ended a four-day visit to Myanmar last week, return as soon as possible to assist a dialogue.

The latest version of the proposed Security Council statement was circulated by the United States, Britain and France.