2009-06-25 16:43:01 -

YANGON, Myanmar (AP) - The United Nations special envoy to Myanmar is scheduled to arrive Friday to pave the way for a visit by the U.N. secretary-general, officials said _ a trip likely to be politically delicate during the contentious trial of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
Human Rights Watch and some governments have urged the secretary-general not to visit now, arguing the trip could be exploited by the government. The Nobel Peace laureate is in prison and being tried on charges of violating the terms of her house arrest after an uninvited American man swam to her closely guarded lakeside home last month and stayed two days.
But other countries say the alternative is to do nothing and miss an opportunity to have the U.N. chief press for Suu Kyi's release and push for more open and inclusive elections next year.
Ibrahim Gambari will make his eighth visit as Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's special representative to promote political reconciliation between the military government and the pro-democracy movement led by Suu Kyi.
«He is visiting to continue his good offices as the U.N. envoy and to prepare the visit of his boss,» a Western diplomat said.
An official who helped make arrangements for previous visits said Gambari would go directly to the capital of Naypyitaw to meet government officials. Both men spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to release information to the press.
Ban told The Associated Press on Tuesday that he was looking at the «appropriate timing» for a visit.
Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party said it would welcome a visit by Gambari.
«Mr. Gambari meets us every time he visits Myanmar and I hope he will meet us this time also,» said party spokesman Nyan Win. «I believe his visit will help ease the current political situation in the country.

Another awkward factor is the possible delivery to Myanmar of a shipload of weapons from North Korea, in defiance of U.N. sanctions. Although neither North Korean nor Myanmar authorities have confirmed such activity, U.S. and South Korean officials suspect the Kang Nam is carrying weapons for Myanmar's military, and its arrival could coincide with Ban's visit.
The U.N. has called repeatedly for political reconciliation in Myanmar, including the release of Suu Kyi. The country has been under military rule since 1962, and the junta refused to recognize the results of 1990 general elections won by Suu Kyi's party.
Suu Kyi's trial has drawn outrage from the international community and from her local supporters, who say the military government is using the incident as an excuse to keep her detained through the 2010 elections.
Gambari's seven trips since becoming the special envoy in 2006 have failed to nudge the military regime toward talks with the opposition.
But Ban's visit to Myanmar after last year's devastating Cyclone Nargis was hailed as instrumental to getting the isolated government to admit more foreign relief workers.