Burma’s military junta on Saturday issued a searing rebuke to the overtures of the United Nations Special Envoy, leaving the future of his mission very much in doubt.

One by one, and drawing parallels between the recent constitutional process of neighboring Thailand and that of the junta’s vision for Burma, Information Minister Brigadier General Kyaw Hsan reproached all suggestions forwarded by the U.N. representative, stating that the Burmese government would be prepared to listen and work with the U.N. if confronted with “appropriate and just advice.”

Speaking in Rangoon , the Information Minister mocked opposition voices, both domestically and internationally, as first complaining that the constitutional process was too slow and now, following February’s announcement of a timetable for a referendum and elections, appealing that the process is moving along too quickly.

Kyaw San was adamant that the National League for Democracy removed itself from the constitutional process, remarking, “NLD did not accept the essence of democracy to give priority to the majority’s consent and it walked out of the National Convention in November 1995.” He went on to add that the leading opposition group also chose not to reenter the process in 2004 when asked by the government.

Though the referendum is yet to be held, the government minister informed Ibrahim Gambari, the U.N. Special Envoy, that “a majority do not want amends” to the draft constitution, which Kyaw Hsan insists will soon be made publicly available.

Anyway, the Information Minister added, there exists a clause in the draft constitution which provides means for future amendment.
Forthrightly refuting another long-standing demand of opposition parties and governments, Gambari was told, “In fact, there are no political prisoners in Myanmar . There are only those who have been punished according to law for violating law.” Hence, there is no basis for a discussion on the release of political detainees, as none are said to exist.

Concerning the U.N.’s proposal of the formation of a committee to look into poverty alleviation in the Southeast Asian country, the Special Envoy was answered with: “The main cause for encountering obstacles and hardships in our development endeavors is various sanctions imposed against our country.”

Correspondingly, the junta’s representative informed Gambari that it must be made clear to opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi that she must denounce a policy of sanctions before progress is possible. While Suu Kyi denies having control over sanctions imposed by foreign governments, the junta maintains it has evidence which proves the opposition leader has urged such a program upon the international community.

Though opposition groups and activists continue to call for the seating of the 1990 ministers elect, resulting from an election in which the National League for Democracy won approximately 80 percent of the seats in the Hluttaw (People’s Assembly) with approximately 60 percent of the vote, Kyaw Hsan said that such a question was now moot due to reality and legal issues.

Specifically he pointed out that, according to the 1974 Constitution, at least 34 percent of ministers must be seated for a session of parliament to be convened. However according to government statistics, as a result of death, denouncements and changes in eligibility, there no longer exist a valid number of ministers elect to hold a parliamentary session. He also said that the statute of limitations of a Hluttaw body is set at four to five years, thereby making the sitting of the 1990 election winners an illegal undertaking.

Kyaw Hsan dismissed the United Nations’ request to have a permanent member of Gambari’s team stationed in Burma , telling the select audience that since the U.N. already has an in-country presence such a posting would merely be redundant.

Despite U.N. assurances that Gambari was prepared to stay in the country as long as needed, sources in the country now say that the U.N. representative is likely to leave Burma tonight.