The statement by the UN Country Team is now on the web at http://yangon.unic.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=97&Itemid=73
Shortly after releasing the following statement the Union of Myanmar told the UN Resident Coordinator that he could leave.
[him] moderator
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Permanent Mission of the Union of Myanmar to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations, Geneva. Press Release No. 5/2007
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Union of Myanmar issued the Protest Note of 25 October 2007 in response to the statement issued by the UN Country Team in Myanmar on 24 October 2007 which is not in line with the UN Day theme for 2007. The situations related to various sectors, such as social, health and education, mentioned in the statement do not even reflect the true situations in Myanmar and were also not based on concrete evidences or statistics. It was sad to find that despite Myanmar's consistent coordination, the focal Ministry concerned and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were not consulted or even notified in advance of the unprecedented and inappropriate statement. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs was thus compelled to issue the following Protest Note:
"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Union of Myanmar files a strong protest to the Office of the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Yangon against the unprecedented Statement of the UN Country Team in Myanmar issued on United Nations Day.
The Statement, which is found to be very negative, deliberately ignores the successful conclusion of the National Convention which as adopted basic principles for a new constitution as well as the economic development and the gains made in various sectors, such as education, health, transportation, etc. The Country Team should realize that there could be much better gains without the sanctions imposed upon Myanmar by some countries.
The Ministry is extremely disappointed by the Country Team's intention to issue the Statement and its failure to inform the Ministry of its contents prior to its release. The Ministry always responds to the Country Team's concerns and, therefore, the Country Team should have avoided such a Statement to express its concerns. It has jeopardized the good working relations existing between the Ministry and the Country Team.
The Statement harms Myanmar's image despite its all-out cooperation with UN, and gives wrong message to the international community."
Geneva,
Dated 31 October 2007.
http://mission.itu.ch/MISSIONS/Myanmar/pressrelease_PMGev/Press%20Release%20No.5_31%20Oct%2007.pdf
