The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Singapore

Myanmar democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi said she is "ready to cooperate" with the ruling junta, according to a statement read by UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari here early Friday.

The pledge came after Myanmar's junta earlier announced a meeting between Aung San Suu Kyi and her pro-democracy party, hours after Gambari wrapped up a visit aimed at pushing the regime toward dialogue and reform.

"In the interest of the nation, I stand ready to cooperate with the government in order to make this process of dialogue a success," Aung San Suu Kyi said in her message.

The detained Nobel laureate also welcomed the role played by the United Nations "to help facilitate our efforts in this regard." It is the first time Aung San Suu Kyi has said she will work with the junta since she was put under house arrest in 2003. Gambari read her message to reporters at a midnight press conference in a Singapore hotel shortly after returning from his latest trip to Yangon, during which he had met with the opposition leader.

Aung San Suu Kyi welcomed the appointment last month of Labour Minister Aung Kyi as the government's go-between with the opposition. She said her meeting with Aung Kyi on October 25 was constructive and she looked forward to regular discussions. The detained democracy leader is to meet Aung Kyi again on Friday, state television reported.

"I expect that this phase of preliminary consultations will conclude soon so that a meaningful and time-bound dialogue with the (government) leadership can start as early as possible," Aung San Suu Kyi said in the message read by Gambari.

Aung San Suu Kyi said in any dialogue with the junta, she would be "guided by the policies and wishes" of her political party, the National League for Democracy (NLD) but would also need to consult with other groups.