South Africa has offered its intervention in the ongoing political crisis in the volatile Myanmar and has urged the newly appointed ambassador to the country to actively engage government in finding a way forward.

President Thabo Mbeki made the pledge in Pretoria today, while accepting a letter of credence from ambassador U Ohn Thwin of Myanmar.

Myanmar has been experiencing a political crisis since a military junta came to power in 1988 after crushing a pro-democracy movement. The military rulers called elections in 1990, but refused to transfer power when the National League for Democracy led by Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi's party won.

The latter has been under house arrest a number of times, the latest since May, last year. However recently, Myanmar's leadership have reportedly initiated secret talks with Suu Kyi on the country's political future thus raising hopes inside and outside the country that the move may eventually lead to some form of democracy.

"It really is our hope that these processes would continue to a successful conclusion and to the extent that South Africa can contribute to the resolution of those political problems, certainly, we will do that," he said.

President Mbeki said the South African government, including the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Kofi Annan and the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), was closely following processes to bring about peace in that country. Earlier during the day, President Mbeki accepted letters of credence from ambassadors of Pakistan, Botswana, Mali and Iran.

He called for an intensified effort in ensuring that bilateral relations between South Africa and the accredited countries, saying their presence in the country ought to be utilised as a platform through which the move could be achieved. –BuaNews.