Dhaka: The United Nations' rights expert on Burma, Tomas Ojea Quintana, will pay a visit to western Burma's Arakan State during his five-day human rights mission to the military-ruled Burma from 15 to 20 February.

Quintana stated his plan to visit northern Arakan to assess the situation of the Muslim community during an interview with a Burmese radio station.

He also said that he will meet the Burmese junta's generals and has requested authorities allow him to meet detained democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, in addition to leaders of different political organizations, during his coming mission.

He will submit a report of his findings to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva this coming March.

Quintana became the United Nations' Special Rapporteur on Burma in 2008. He visited Burma for the second time in February last year and was allowed to meet with political prisoners in Yangon's Insein Prison and visited Karen, Kachin and Arakan state.

In his report submitted to the UN last year, Quintana urged the Burmese military regime to release all political prisoners before the 2010 election in order to ensure national reconciliation and a genuine transition to democracy in Burma.

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