Razali: Position in Iris has no bearing on UN job

comments     Yap Mun Ching     Published     Updated

exclusive Despite criticism over his involvement in a company that does business with the Burmese government, United Nations special envoy to Burma Razali Ismail maintained that he is still qualified as facilitator in the Burmese peace talks since he had never discussed business with the military leaders.

In an exclusive interview with malaysiakini last Friday, Razali explained that Iris Technologies, a company in which he has a 30 percent stake, had established a general interest in Burma even prior to his appointment as special envoy.

"Iris' interest in (Burma) happened before I became the special envoy but it was a general interest. Then it developed into something specific.

"I have never once spoken to the leaders in (Burma) about Iris," he said.

He claimed that opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi herself had no problems with his involvement in Iris when he spoke to her about it.

"She has complete trust in my integrity," he said.

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