exclusive Frustrated at the slow pace of talks, United Nations special envoy to Burma Razali Ismail said he might quit his role as facilitator to the Burmese national reconciliation process if real dialogue does not materialise soon.

"If it goes on and on, I may decide to step down. It has been going on in my mind - how long more, how long more?" he said.

Razali, who last visited Burma in August, said he had expected talks between the Burmese military government and Aung San Suu Kyi to take place within a short time after his departure.

"(The government) didn't give a time but they said (the dialogue) would take place very soon... In my understanding, 'very soon' would be like a couple of weeks or three to four weeks. It has been more than that," he lamented in an exclusive interview with malaysiakini last week.

Razali is due to make his ninth visit to Burma tomorrow since his appointment to the UN post two years ago.

Despite initial optimism, leaders of the Rangoon government and Suu Kyi have not met since the opposition leader's release from house arrest in May.

Seek to get momentum moving

The UN envoy also said he is willing to consider taking on a larger role as mediator to the reconciliation talks if he is required to do so by the Burmese parties.

However, he expressed clear frustration at the pace of the talks saying that he might decide to step down if he chalks no further progress.

"I want to see a situation where there is negotiation and it comes to the point of irreversibility. And all the parties, including the ethnic groups, are all together.

Questioned about his agenda for his upcoming five-day trip to Rangoon, Razali said he hopes to revitalise the move towards a dialogue between the two sides.

"I am hoping to get the momentum moving again and I want to understand why it has slowed down. I want to get the wheels moving again as agreed to by all parties before," he said.

Meanwhile, the slow pace of progress has also raised concern among several parties interested in the developments in Burma.

Losing steam

In a Nov 1 statement, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan expressed concern that the move towards political reform in Burma is losing steam and urged for a quick launch to substantive dialogues.

"It is only through an all-inclusive dialogue that Myanmar will be able to ensure that national reconciliation is durable and the transition to democracy smooth," said Annan in a report to the UN General Assembly.

Annan also called for the release of all remaining political prisoners in the country and for the elimination of all remaining restriction on the activities of legal political parties.

Last September, the United States State Department issued a statement expressing its disappointment that Rangoon has "failed to follow through on steps toward national reconciliation".

In 1990, Suu Kyi and her National League of Democracy won a landside victory in democratic elections but this was not recognised by the country's military junta.


Razali Ismail's Q&A: How long more, how long more?

Tomorrow: Razali speaks on Iris connection and Asean inaction