The UN Security Council today expressed regret at Burma's slow progress in opening talks with the pro-democracy opposition.
The council "underscored the importance of making further progress" on the objectives it set out in an October 11 statement, which include protecting human rights and releasing all political prisoners and detainees.
The UN also called for the early return of UN envoy Ibrahim Gambari to help promote national reconciliation and democracy.
Mr Gambari said he asked to go to Burma later this month, but that the country's military rulers sent word that "it's not convenient and they will prefer mid-April".
He said Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told the government that was not acceptable and that the UN is negotiating "an early, rather than a later, return to Burma".
Burma's junta has been strongly criticised for sending troops to quash peaceful against fuel-price protests that were initially led by students and then by Buddhist monks, in late September.
The government said 10 people were killed, but dissidents say the death toll was much higher. Thousands of monks and civilians were arrested.