A senior United Nations envoy has extended his mission in Burma in the hopes of meeting the country's top military leader, Senior General Than Shwe.
Officials say Ibrahim Gambari has returned to Burma's new capital, Naypyidaw, for the second time in three days to try to ease a deadly military crackdown on pro-democracy protesters.
During Gambari's visit to Naypyidaw Saturday and Sunday, he delivered a message of concern from the U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to several military leaders, but he did not meet General Than Shwe.
The United Nations says Gambari is looking forward to seeing the general, but it is unclear whether the Burmese government will schedule the meeting Monday.
On Sunday, Gambari flew from Naypyidaw to Rangoon, where he met detained pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi for more than an hour.
Aung San Suu Kyi has been under house arrest for more than a decade and is rarely allowed visitors.
The United Nations sent Gambari to Burma after military troops and police opened fire on thousands of peaceful monks and protesters in Rangoon last week. The government says 10 people died, but witnesses and Western diplomats say the death toll is likely much higher. Hundreds of people have been arrested.
The protests started in August, after the military leaders doubled the price of fuel. The demonstrations gained force when tens of thousands of the country's revered Buddhist monks joined the movement, turning it into a widespread protest against 45 years of oppressive military rule.
Reporters Without Borders and the Burma Media Association say Burmese authorities have arrested and detained at least ten journalists who were covering the demonstrations.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.
