Suu Kyi 'Optimistic' on Reconciliation

RANGOON — A detained Burmese opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, is "very optimistic" about prospects of the U.N.-promoted process for reconciliation between the military government and pro-democracy forces, top members of her party said today.

Three executive members of Ms. Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy and a party spokesman were allowed to meet Ms. Suu Kyi today for the first time in more than three years.

Their meeting was permitted by the government after U.N. special envoy Ibrahim Gambari yesterday completed a six-day visit to Burma to promote a dialogue between the ruling junta and Ms. Suu Kyi.

Party spokesman Nyan Win, speaking after he and his colleagues met for about an hour with Ms. Suu Kyi, said she believes the military authorities now have the will to achieve national reconciliation.

Ms. Suu Kyi has been in government detention for 12 of the past 18 years, and continuously since May 2003.

Ms. Suu Kyi also held talks with Aung Kyi, who was appointed the junta's "minister for relations" with the former Nobel Peace Prize winner last month amid global outrage over the government's brutal crackdown on pro-democracy protests.

The generals unexpectedly announced yesterday that Ms. Suu Kyi would be allowed to meet with her party's top officials.

Their statement, broadcast on state radio and television, came just hours after the United Nation's Mr. Gambari ended his second mission to broker negotiations between the military regime and pro-democracy leaders.

Mr. Gambari met with Ms. Suu Kyi for an hour yesterday and released a statement on her behalf after leaving the country.

"In the interest of the nation, I stand ready to cooperate with the government in order to make this process of dialogue a success," Ms. Suu Kyi said in her statement, which Mr. Gambari read aloud yesterday evening in Singapore. "I am committed to pursue the path of dialogue constructively and invite the government and all relevant parties to join me in this spirit."

Her message also slightly prodded the junta, officially known as the State Peace and Development Council, to move more quickly in dealing with her.