Oct 1 (Reuters) - U.N. envoy Ibrahim Gambari was waiting to see Myanmar's top general on Monday to try to persuade the military junta to ease its nationwide crackdown on the biggest anti-government protests in 20 years, diplomats said.

Gambari was appointed special adviser to the secretary-general on Myanmar on May 22.

Here are some key facts:

- Born in Nigeria in 1944. Attended Kings College, Lagos, as well as London School of Economics, where he studied political science. Also has M.A. and Ph.D. in political science /international relations from Columbia University, New York.

- From 1969-1983, Gambari held variety of university teaching posts

- Nigerian foreign minister from 1984-85

- Before joining U.N. Secretariat in 1999, served as Permanent Representative of Nigeria to U.N.

- Chaired U.N. Special Committee against Apartheid, which oversaw demise of apartheid and establishment of democratic rule in South Africa.

- Named undersecretary-general for the U.N. Department of Political Affairs in 2005 by the former secretary-general, Kofi Annan. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in 2007 appointed him as a special adviser, where he was in charge of the International Compact with Iraq, Myanmar and other issues.

(Source: United Nations)

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