Former UN Special Envoy Razali Ismail sought to negotiate between the opposition party and the military regime from 2000 until 2005. He recalls his meetings with Burma's most famous prisoner, Aung San Suu Kyi.

When I went back to see Suu Kyi, statistics melted away. There was a clear focus, and of course, hers was political - the prime objective must be to win democracy for Myanmar so that the people could understand and benefit from democracy and development, improve their lives and be protected by the rule of law. She knew how far behind Myanmar was in that sense.