YANGON: UN chief Ban Ki-Moon announced that he would visit Myanmar and said that he must meet the democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, for the trip to be effective. This news was welcomed by the leader’s political party.

A spokeswoman for Ban announced late Monday that the UN secretary general would travel to the military-ruled nation later this week for talks with the junta on the release of all political prisoners, including Suu Kyi.

Ban is due to arrive Friday, the same day as a Myanmar court is due to resume the trial of the Nobel laureate on charges of violation of her house arrest after an American man swam to her lakeside home.

‘We welcome Mr Ban Ki-moon's visit,’ Nyan Win, the spokesman for Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) and a member of her legal team, told AFP.

‘His visit will focus on three main things: to release all political prisoners, to start dialogue and also to ensure free and fair elections in 2010,’ he said.

‘Regarding these three things, he needs to meet with Aung San Suu Kyi.’ The 64-year-old opposition icon is currently being held at Insein prison in Yangon where the internationally condemned trial is being held. She faces up to five years in jail if convicted.

The UN chief decided to go ahead with his trip after being briefed Sunday by his special envoy to Myanmar, Ibrahim Gambari, who paid a short preparatory visit to the country last week.

Ban will address ‘the resumption of dialogue between the government and opposition as a necessary part of any national reconciliation process, and the need to create conditions conducive to credible elections,’ his spokeswoman, Michele Montas, said.

The ruling junta has promised to hold elections in 2010, but critics say they are ‘a sham designed to entrench the generals' hold on power’ and that the trial is designed to keep Aung San Suu Kyi behind bars during the polls.

Aung San Suu Kyi has spent 13 of the last 19 years in jail since the junta refused to recognise the NLD's landslide victory in Myanmar's last elections, in 1990.

Tags: Myanmar,UN chief,Aung San Suu Kyi