Editing Foreign relations of Myanmar (section)

==United Nations==
In 1961, [[U Thant]], then Burma's Permanent Representative to the United Nations and former Secretary to the Prime Minister, was elected [[Secretary-General of the United Nations]]; he was the first non-Westerner to head any international organisation and would serve as UN Secretary-General for ten years.<ref name="az">{{cite web|url=http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=7610|author=Aung Zaw|title=Can Another Asian Fill U Thant's Shoes?|publisher=[[The Irrawaddy]] September 2006|access-date=12 September 2006|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314141301/http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=7610|archive-date=14 March 2012}}</ref> Among the Burmese to work at the UN when he was Secretary-General was the young [[Aung San Suu Kyi]].

Until 2005, the [[United Nations General Assembly]] annually adopted a detailed resolution about the situation in Myanmar by consensus.<ref name = "UN-5483030">
{{UN document |docid=A-54-PV.83 |body=General Assembly |type=Verbotim Report |session=54 |meeting=83 |page=30 |anchor=pg030-bk03 |date=17 December 1999 |meetingtime=10:00 |speakername=The President |accessdate=25 September 2007 }}
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{{UN document |docid=A-55-PV.81 |body=General Assembly |type=Verbotim Report |session=55 |meeting=81 |page=22 |anchor=pg022-bk01 |date=4 December 2000 |meetingtime=15:00 |speakername=The President |accessdate=25 September 2007 }}
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{{UN document |docid=A-56-PV.92 |body=General Assembly |type=Verbotim Report |session=56 |meeting=92 |page=7 |anchor=pg007-bk04 |date=24 December 2001 |meetingtime=11:00 |accessdate=25 September 2007 }}
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{{UN document |docid=A-60-PV.69 |body=General Assembly |type=Verbotim Report |session=60 |meeting=69 |page=19 |anchor=pg019-bk05 |date=23 December 2005 |meetingtime=10:00 |speakername=The President |accessdate=25 September 2007 }}</ref> But in 2006 a divided [[United Nations General Assembly]] voted through a resolution that strongly called upon the government of Myanmar to end its systematic violations of human rights.<ref>{{UN document |docid=A-61-PV.84 |body=General Assembly |type=Verbotim Report |session=61 |meeting=84 |page=14 |anchor=pg014-bk07 |date=22 December 2006 |meetingtime=10:00 |accessdate=25 September 2007 }}</ref>

In January 2007, Russia and China vetoed a draft resolution before the [[United Nations Security Council]]<ref name="UN_S200714">{{UN document |docid=S-2007-14 |type=Document |body=Security Council |year=2007 |document_number=14 |accessdate=25 September 2007| date=12 January 2007}}</ref> calling on the government of Myanmar to respect human rights and begin a democratic transition. South Africa also voted against the resolution, arguing that since there were no peace and security concerns raised by its neighbours, the question did not belong in the Security Council when there were other more appropriate bodies to represent it, adding, "Ironically, should the Security Council adopt [this resolution] ... the [[Human Rights Council]] would not be able to address the situation in Myanmar while the Council remains seized with the matter."<ref>{{UN document |docid=S-PV-5619 |body=Security Council |type=Verbotim Report |meeting=5619 |page=3 |anchor=pg003-bk01 |date=12 January 2007 |meetingtime=16:00 |speakername=Mr. Kumalo | speakernation=South Africa |accessdate=25 September 2007 }}</ref> The issue had been forced onto the agenda against the votes of Russia and the China<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/burmese/highlights/story/2006/09/060918_unsc_agenda_burma.shtml |title=UN Security Council to include Burma in its agenda |work=BBC News |date=18 September 2006 |access-date=17 November 2006 |archive-date=23 February 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070223081110/http://www.bbc.co.uk/burmese/highlights/story/2006/09/060918_unsc_agenda_burma.shtml |url-status=dead }}</ref> by the United States ([[United Nations Security Council veto power|veto power]] applies only to resolutions) claiming that the outflow from Myanmar of refugees, drugs, HIV-AIDS, and other diseases threatened international peace and security.<ref>{{UN document |docid=S-PV-5526 |body=Security Council |type=Verbotim Report |meeting=5526 |page=3 |anchor=pg003-bk02 |date=15 September 2006 |meetingtime=13:35 |speakername=Mr. Bolton | speakernation=United States |accessdate=25 September 2007 }}</ref>

The following September after the uprisings began and the human rights situation deteriorated, the Secretary-General dispatched his special envoy for the region, [[Ibrahim Gambari]], to meet with the government.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=23992|title=Ban Ki-moon dispatches Myanmar envoy to region as situation worsens|date=26 September 2007|publisher=United Nations|access-date=28 June 2017|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304201608/http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=23992|url-status=live}}</ref> After seeing most parties involved, he returned to New York and briefed the Security Council about his visit.<ref>{{UN document |docid=S-PV-5753 |body=Security Council |type=Verbotim Report |meeting=5753 |page=3 |anchor=pg003-bk02 |date=5 October 2007 |meetingtime=10:00 |speakername=Mr. Gambari | speakernation=Special Envoy of the Secretary-General |accessdate=9 October 2007 }}</ref> During this meeting, the ambassador said that the country "indeed [has experienced] a daunting challenge. However, we have been able to restore stability. The situation has now returned to normalcy. Currently, people all over the country are holding peaceful rallies within the bounds of the law to welcome the successful conclusion of the national convention, which has laid down the fundamental principles for a [[New Burmese Constitution|new constitution]], and to demonstrate their aversion to recent provocative demonstrations.<ref>{{UN document |docid=S-PV-5753 |body=Security Council |type=Verbotim Report |meeting=5753 |page=17 |anchor=pg017-bk02-pa04 |date=5 October 2007 |meetingtime=10:00 |speakername=Mr. Swe | speakernation=Myanmar |accessdate=9 October 2007 }}</ref>

On 11 October the Security Council met and issued a statement and reaffirmed its "strong and unwavering support for the Secretary-General's good offices mission", especially the work by Ibrahim Gambari<ref name="UN_SPV5757">{{UN document |docid=S-PV-5757 |type=Verbatim Report |body=Security Council |meeting=5757 |accessdate=15 October 2007|date=11 October 2007}}</ref> (During a briefing to the Security Council in November, Gambari admitted that no timeframe had been set by the Government for any of the moves that he had been negotiating for.)<ref>{{UN document |docid=S-PV-5777 |body=Security Council |type=Verbotim Report |meeting=5777 |page=2 |anchor=pg002-bk08-pa10 |date=13 November 2007 |speakername=Mr. Gambari |accessdate=15 November 2007 }}</ref>

Throughout this period the [[United Nations World Food Programme in Myanmar|World Food Program]] has continued to organise shipments from the [[Mandalay Division]] to the famine-struck areas to the north.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=24086|title=Myanmar: UN to resume delivering food in Mandalay District|date=30 September 2007|publisher=United Nations|access-date=28 June 2017|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304030029/http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=24086|url-status=live}}</ref>

In December 2008, the [[United Nations General Assembly]] voted for a resolution condemning Myanmar's human rights record; it was supported by 80 countries, with 25 voting against and 45 abstaining.<ref>[http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2008/12/26/2003432089/print UN General Assembly condemns Myanmar] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090629225027/http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2008/12/26/2003432089/print |date=29 June 2009 }}. ''Taipei Times''. 26 December 2008</ref>