Burma marks fiftieth anniversary

The leader of Burma's pro-democracy movement, Aung San Suu Kyi, has appealed to the military government to open a dialogue to resolve political issues and attempt to achieve reconciliation.

Miss Suu Kyi was addressing supporters of her National League for Democracy as Burma celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of independence from Britain.

In a statement read at a ceremony before dawn, the chairman of Burma's ruling State Peace and Development Council, General Than Shwe, called for vigilance against those seeking to disrupt stability on the pretext of democracy and human rights.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service