UN Security Council Expresses "Deep Concern" After Myanmar Coup

But the statement, drafted by the United Kingdom, no longer condemns the putsch as envisaged in a first draft during an emergency meeting on Tuesday.

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China and Russia opposed this wording, according to diplomats.
United Nations, United States:

The UN Security Council on Thursday voiced "deep concern" over the military's coup in Myanmar, and called in a draft statement for the "release of all detainees" including Aung San Suu Kyi.

But the statement, written by the United Kingdom, no longer condemned the putsch as envisaged in a first draft during an emergency meeting on Tuesday.

Diplomats said veto-wielding China and Russia, Myanmar's main supporters at the UN, had asked for more time to finesse the council's response.

The later statement also supports a return to dialogue and the democratic process in Myanmar, where the army has detained civilian leaders including Suu Kyi.

"It is better a text with less than no text at all," said one diplomat, recalling that negotiations had been difficult since Tuesday with China.

China's communist leadership has taken a softly-softly approach to the coup. Beijing has called for all parties in Myanmar to "resolve their differences", and the official Xinhua news agency on Monday described the coup as a "major cabinet reshuffle."

Myanmar is a vital piece of Beijing's huge Belt and Road infrastructure initiative.

US President Joe Biden has called for a quick restoration of democracy in Myanmar, while United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the European Union and Australia were among others to condemn the coup.

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The Myanmar military has justified its seizure of power by alleging widespread fraud in elections held three months ago that Suu Kyi's NLD won in a landslide. It has imposed a state of emergency for a year, and claimed it would then hold fresh elections.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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