Singapore - Singapore welcomed Myanmar's invitation to UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari to visit the country in August and urged Myanmar's authorities to "extend their fullest cooperation," a Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman said Wednesday. The invitation was extended by letter to Gambari at the United Nations.
"It is important for ... Gambari to continue his work in helping Myanmar's efforts towards national reconciliation," the spokesman said in a statement.
Singapore currently chairs the Association of South-East Asian Nations but will soon relinquish the rotating title to Thailand.
Gambari last visited Myanmar in March and said the trip had been disappointing.
"We hope the Myanmar authorities will extend their fullest cooperation by giving him access to the highest levels" of the government, the spokesman said.
Singapore also urged Myanmar's leaders to facilitate meetings for Gambari with the "widest range of other contacts," including opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, he added.
Myanmar initially refused to open up to foreign aide workers with relief supplies as 138,000 people were left dead or missing following Cyclone Nargis in early May and held an internationally criticized referendum came shortly afterwards.
The country has been widely condemned for its human rights abuses and lack of democracy.
