US to push for ‘intense’ UN Security Council talks on Myanmar By Reuters

By Michelle Nichols

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield said on Monday she hopes to use Washington’s presidency of the United Nations Security Council in March to spur more “intense discussions” on Myanmar. .

The elected civilian government of Myanmar was overthrown in a military coup on February 1. Myanmar’s ambassador to the UN, Kyaw Moe Tun, called on the United Nations on Friday “to use all necessary means to take action against the Myanmar military” to restore democracy in the Southeast Asian country. .

“I hope to use our time as council chairperson to push for more intense discussions,” Thomas-Greenfield told reporters, adding that she planned to have a Security Council discussion on Myanmar “sooner rather than later.”

The Security Council expressed concern, in a statement last month, about the state of emergency imposed by Myanmar’s military for a year, but fell short of condemning the coup due to opposition from Russia and China.

Myanmar police have dispersed protests against the coup with tear gas, stun grenades and rubber bullets. On Sunday, police fired into crowds in several locations, killing 18 people, the UN human rights office said.

Thomas-Greenfield said Washington was ready to use its renewed commitment at the United Nations and internationally “to pressure the military to reverse its actions and restore a democratically elected government.”

“But the violence that we are seeing now does not indicate that they are ready to make what I would consider an easy decision for them,” he said. “So we have to increase the pressure.”

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has pledged to mobilize global pressure “to make sure this coup fails.”

Myanmar’s state television announced on Saturday that Kyaw Moe Tun had been fired for betraying the country. He told Reuters: “I decided to fight back as much as I can.”

The United Nations does not officially recognize the junta as the new government of Myanmar, as it has not received official notification of any changes in the government or representation of the UN.

“We have not received any communication about changes in the representation of Myanmar here at the UN in New York,” UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said on Monday. “And our protocol colleagues have also not received information from the Permanent Mission in Myanmar about changes in the government.”