Junta's point man to talk to Suu Kyi

Rangoon - The Burmese military junta appointed a cabinet minister to build relations with opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi Monday, as the United Nations weighed action against the regime for its bloody crackdown on protesters.

Junta chief Than Shwe named the deputy labour minister, Aung Kyi, as the "manager for relations" with the Nobel Peace Prize winner, just four days after the military supremo made a heavily conditioned offer to meet with her, state television said

Than Shwe was following a recommendation made by UN envoy Ibrahim Gambari, who concluded a mission here last week, to name an official who would "continue relations with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in the future," state television said.

The announcement came amid an international outcry over the deadly crackdown on peaceful anti-government protests late last month, when Buddhist monks led up to 100,000 people in the streets in the biggest challenge to military rule in nearly two decades.

At least 13 people died and more than 2,100 were locked up as security forces beat down the protests with live rounds, baton charges and teargas.

Aung San Suu Kyi, who has come to symbolise Burma's peaceful resistance against tyranny, has spent most of the last 18 years under house arrest.

The junta rarely has any direct dealings with her, but naming Aung Kyi to build relations with her seemed to indicate the military was prepared for at least a minimal level of contact.

Four days earlier Than Shwe made an offer to meet with her, although the proposal hinged on major conditions including a demand that she drop her support for international sanctions on the regime.

During Gambari's mission here, he was allowed to meet with both Than Shwe and Aung San Suu Kyi before returning to New York to brief the UN Security Council on Friday.

The Council was set to consider later Monday a non-binding statement drafted by the United States, Britain and France to condemn the military regime.

The text condemns "violent repression of peaceful demonstrations" and urges Burma's rulers to "cease repressive measures" and release detainees as well as political prisoners, including opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

However, diplomats in New York said it was likely to be toned down at the request of China, Russia and possibly Indonesia.

Over the last week Burma has made a series of rare public gestures attempting to cool the international outcry over its deadly crackdown on pro-democracy protests.

State media Monday said the the junta had donated thousands of dollars as well as food and medicines to monasteries in Yangon, in an apparent gesture of reconciliation with the monks.

During the weekend the military trumpeted its release of more than half of 2,171 people arrested in the crackdown and noted that nearly 400 of 533 monks detained had been "sent back to their respective monasteries."

The protests in Burma began in mid-August after a huge overnight hike in fuel prices left many people in the impoverished nation unable even to afford their bus fare to work.

But it was only when the revered monks took the lead that the rallies escalated into a genuine threat to more than four decades of military rule here.

The United States has led criticism of the regime, warning Friday that it could push for UN sanctions, including an arms embargo, if the ruling generals pursue the crackdown on pro-democracy protesters.

Any sanctions resolution is likely to face resistance and possibly a veto from China and Russia, who deem the turmoil in the southeast Asian country an internal matter and not a threat to wider peace and security. (AFP)