(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-03-19 08:45

UNITED NATIONS - UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari said Tuesday incremental progress in his engagement with Myanmar government in dialogue has been made during his recent visit to Myanmar.

In a briefing to the UN Security Council, Gambari thanked the "government and people of Myanmar for the hospitality" extended to him and his delegation during the five-day visit.

He said his engagement with the government in dialogue has been "incremental and continuing."

Although the visit yielded no tangible outcome, it was "an opportunity to further discuss" some of his previous recommendations and to exchange views on the planned constitutional referendum in May and elections in 2010, Gambari said.

Gambari said he was grateful to the government for granting most of the meetings he requested and he also met twice with opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

"I regard the fact that I was granted a second meeting with her as an indication that the government remains interested in maintaining this channel of communication and as a sign of willingness by the authorities in recognizing the value of UN's role to help facilitate substantive dialogue," he said.

"On her part, Aung San Suu Kyi has already signaled a willingness to cooperate with the government."

Gambari ended his five-day visit to Myanmar early last week after meeting some government officials and a wide range of representatives of Myanmar society including Aung San Suu Kyi.