Burma's military government has rejected a United Nations Security Council statement deploring the recent military crackdown on pro-democracy protesters, and calling for a genuine dialogue with opposition icon Aung San Suu Kyi.
The Burmese government Friday said it regrets that the U.N. issued the statement, saying the situation in Burma did not harm regional peace and security.
Burma's government says it will continue to cooperate with the U.N., while implementing its own plan for transitioning to democratic rule.
The main Burmese opposition party, the National League for Democracy, said that as a member of the United Nations, Burma has a responsibility to implement its recommendations soon.
In Washington, the White House says it would like to see U.N. envoy to Burma Ibrahim Gambari return to the country as soon as possible to meet with government officials and Aung San Suu Kyi.
Gambari is scheduled to visit other countries in the region before returning to Burma for his second trip since the military crackdown.
Gambari will begin his Asian tour Monday in Thailand, continuing on to Malaysia, Indonesia, India, China and Japan before visiting Burma.
Burmese officials say the crackdown on pro-democracy protesters left 10 people dead. Dissidents put the number of fatalities at 200.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
