UN envoy meets Suu Kyi

The two met at a government guesthouse where visiting UN Undersecretary-General for Political Affairs Ibrahim Gambari was staying, according to the sources, who demanded anonymity for fear of reprisals. Gambari arrived in Myanmar on Thursday to press the ruling military junta to restore democracy and cease human rights violations.

The visit is the first in more than two years by a high-level UN representative. The last foreigner to see Nobel Peace Prize laureate Suu Kyi was UN special envoy Razali Ismail, who saw her in March 2004.

Residents near Suu Kyi's villa on Yangon's University Avenue said they saw a black vehicle with tinted windows leave the compound and soon afterward pull into the guesthouse, located near her residence.

Earlier Saturday, Gambari held talks with the leader of the military junta, Senior Gen. Than Shwe, on human rights and prospects for restoring democracy.

The United Nations has been one of the louder voices calling for democratic reforms in Myanmar and the junta has responded by barring UN special envoys from the country. Razali resigned from his job as special envoy to Myanmar in frustration shortly after his 2004 visit.

Gambari flew to the country's new administrative capital, Naypyidaw, 250 miles north of Yangon, for the meeting with Than Shwe.

Other top junta leaders, including Gen. Maung Aye and Prime Minister Soe Win, attended the one-hour meeting, but details were not immediately available.

Gambari earlier met with other senior government officials and a representative of Suu Kyi's party, the National League for Democracy.

The party had asked Gambari to request a meeting with Suu Kyi when he met the junta chief, stressing that Suu Kyi must be included in any dialogue process.

Suu Kyi has been detained for about 10 of the last 17 years, mostly under house arrest.