The military government said she would be given permission to leave Burma and allowed back into the country.

David Willis reports: "A complete lack of trust"

But the US has criticised Burma's handling of a visa application by Michael Aris, who died on Saturday in Oxfordshire, Britain.

Secretary of State Madeline Albright said Burma had shown a "callous disregard" of human rights.

Mrs Albright added: "[Dr Aris] sacrificed the companionship of his beloved wife for 10 years so that she could stand with her people in Burma to struggle for human rights and democracy."

Visa refusal

Dr Aris applied for a visa to visit his wife, who he had last seen three years ago, after being diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer.

The Burmese authorities turned down his request but said Mrs Suu Kyi could visit him in Britain.

She refused fearing she would not be allowed to return to Burma, where she is the government's most high profile opponent.

Burma now says Mrs Suu Kyi can attend his funeral and offered its "sincere condolences".

A spokesman said: "[The government] stands ready in providing Mrs Suu Kyi with all possible assistance if she desires to travel to England to attend the funeral rites and family affairs at this time of bereavement."

But it is thought that she is unlikely to go, again for fear of not being allowed to return to Burma.

Mrs Suu Kyi, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991, rose to political prominence during a national uprising in 1998.

She emerged as the leader of the movement against political rule. In 1990, her NLD political party overwhelmingly won a general election but the result was ignored by the military rulers.