Lt Gen Khin Nyunt: Meeting UN envoy

Alvaro de Soto started his visit with separate meetings with the Burmese military government and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

They are the first such talks since August when the Burmese government refused a UN request for high-level discussions on restoring democracy.

Ms Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) won the election in 1990 by a large majority, but the military government refused to recognise the result.

Since Burma joined the regional grouping Asean more than a year ago, the UN has been trying to play a more active role in encouraging Burma's generals to talk to Ms Suu Kyi.

Cash for concessions

Diplomats say the international community has been working on a road map to democracy with a schedule of incentives that would be offered for concessions by the ruling State Peace and Development Council.

Some estimates say the carrots available by way of financial assistance for infrastructure development and humanitarian aid could be as much as a $1bn.

BBC Burma specialist Larry Jagan says the first concession would be talks between the military government and the NLD at the lowest level.

These would pave the way for a genuine dialogue between the generals and Ms Suu Kyi.

The problem facing the UN is how to kick-start the process.

Leaders refused to hand power to Ms Suu Kyi

One suggestion is for UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to meet the head of the military government, General Than Shwe, at the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit, in Hanoi in December.

The UN is hoping that Mr de Soto's visit will secure permission from Burma for such a meeting.

No details have been released on the talks so far, but UN sources say Mr de Soto has gone to Rangoon with concrete proposals to discuss with both sides.

Toughened sanctions

Mr de Soto's four-day visit started a day after the European Union toughened existing sanctions against Burma in an attempt to get the generals to improve the country's human rights record and encourage democratic change.

Sanctions adopted two years ago already include the expulsion of military personnel attached to Rangoon's diplomatic missions in the EU, an arms embargo, a ban on entry visas for the country's leaders and the suspension of non-humanitarian aid and of high-level government visits.