UN Springs Into Action

After weeks of deliberations, debate, chit chat and general foot-dragging the United Nations finally delivered a stinging rebuke to the military junta that rules Burma with a bloody iron fist. The UN told the leaders of the country that they were somewhat miffed at the junta and might not bring chocolate chip cookies to the next trade seminar. The military junta looked up from questioning dissidents to death long enough to express regret that the UN had distracted them. Then they refocused and continued the interrogations.

YANGON (AFP) - Myanmar's military junta said Friday that it "regrets" a UN Security Council statement rebuking the regime over its violent crackdown on peaceful protests, but vowed to cooperate with the world body.

In its first reaction to the UN statement, whose signatories included close ally China, the government also said it would press ahead with its own "road map" to democratic reform.

But it made no acknowledgement of the UN call for the release of political prisoners nor for the regime to engage in dialogue with detained pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi.

"Myanmar regrets that the statement by the chairman of the UN Security Council was announced on October 11, although the situation in the Union of Myanmar did not harm regional or international peace and security," state television reported.

"Maintaining good relations with countries in the region and around the world, as well as offering all cooperation with the United Nations, is the foreign policy of the Union of Myanmar," it added.

The junta will retaliate by only using the second best china at the next seminar which will cause great distress among UN representatives who are unused to such plebeian treatment.