Even as he expressed concern at the situation in Myanmar during a meeting with Foreign Minister U Nyan Win, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Monday said he does not think that penal sanctions by the United Nations against the country is the answer to the problem.

Answering a question at the end of his speech in the Council on Foreign Relations in New York City Monday, Mukherjee said one should try to engage the country concerned in negotiations, in talks and in dialogue. "Sanctions by the UN Security Council should be the last resort," he said.

"Sometimes, we find that frequent use of this very powerful instrument (of the UN Security Council) becomes counterproductive. Instead of correcting the errant rulers, it ends in the sufferings of the innocent people. I would not like to give you examples because all who are present here are well aware of it," Mukherjee said. Therefore, his prescription was to try and engage the world community with Myanmar.

During his bilateral meeting with Win this morning, Mukherjee said as a close and friendly neighbour, India hoped to see peace, prosperity and stability in Myanmar. He also expressed the hope that the process of national reconciliation and political reform, initiated by the government of Myanmar, would be taken forward expeditiously. Mukherjee suggested that the government could consider undertaking an inquiry into recent incidents and the use of force.

In his address at the CFR he said in the evolving geopolitical and economic situation in the world, India needs a stable, peaceful, democratic and prosperous periphery for its own and the region's future.

Text: Suman Mozumder in New York | Photographs: Paresh Gandhi