Great Britain offered protection to the expelled ambassador of Myanmar

Great Britain said it offered protection to Myanmar's ambassador, who was expelled from his country's mission in London by representatives of the military junta.

The British authorities had previously officially informed the military authorities in Myanmar that Ambassador Kyaw Zwar Min's mandate had ended.

"I salute his courage and patriotism. We will support him to ensure his safety in Great Britain," Foreign Secretary Nigel Adams wrote on Twitter after yesterday's meeting with Ambassador Kyaw Zwar Min.

Diplomats close to the junta occupied the embassy in central London on Wednesday night and denied access to Ambassador Min, who supports the civilian government of Aunt San Suu Kyi, ousted in a military coup on February 1.

The head of British diplomacy, Dominic Raab, condemned the military junta yesterday for this "intimidation", however, the British Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which received an official notification from the authorities in Myanmar that the ambassador's mandate was ending, stated that it accepts the junta's decision.

"Given the intimidation of Min, we are trying to ensure that he can live safely in the UK while he decides what he will do in the long term," a British Foreign Office spokesman said, calling for a speedy restoration of democracy in Myanmar.

On Wednesday, Myanmar's ambassador accused the military attaché of "occupying" the embassy in London. The ambassador who spent the night from Wednesday to Thursday in his vehicle called for help to his country yesterday.

Asked if he would be killed if he returned to Myanmar, the diplomat, who is a former colonel, assessed that he would be viewed as a traitor and answered "who knows".

The crackdown by security forces against pro-democracy protesters has rocked Myanmar for more than two months and is not abating. Security forces killed at least 614 civilians during the demonstrations, according to the Association for Aid to Political Prisoners.