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UNITED NATIONS : World governments, led by the United States, ramped up pressure on Tuesday on Myanmar's military rulers amid fears of a crackdown on Buddhist monks leading the largest protests against the military in nearly 20 years.
"This morning I'm announcing a series of steps to help bring peaceful change to Burma," President George W. Bush said in a speech to the UN General Assembly, using Myanmar's former name.
"The United States will tighten economic sanctions on the leaders of the regime and their financial backers, and we will impose an expanded visa ban on those responsible for the most egregious violations of human rights as well as their family members," said Bush.
His announcement came as Myanmar's ruling military deployed hundreds of soldiers and riot police in its biggest city Yangon, after Buddhist monks defied warnings of a crackdown and led 100,000 people in another day of mass protests.
Other world governments urged the military government to show restraint, although key player China declined to put overt pressure on its close ally.
Asia powers Australia and Japan warned against any crackdown on the protesters whom Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer hailed for their "enormous courage".
Downer urged China, India and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) - of which Myanmar is a member - to exert their influence on the ruling military in Yangon, arguing that their stance would carry more clout than the West.
"I think the voices that the Burmese military leadership hear the loudest are the voices of China and India ... and they certainly don't focus very much on the voices of Western countries," Downer said.
However, China said it would stick to its policy of not interfering in the affairs of another state.
"As a friendly neighbouring country of Myanmar, China hopes to see stability and economic development in Myanmar," foreign ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said.
Jiang called on the Myanmar government to "properly handle" the situation, without elaborating.
China is widely regarded to have been vital in keeping the ruling military afloat through its deep economic links and arms sales, as well as by shielding it against UN sanctions for alleged human rights abuses.
Leading donor Japan urged Myanmar's rulers "to remain calm, not to react in an extreme fashion."
"The public will has been expressed by the people who are marching on the streets," said foreign ministry spokesman Tomohiko Taniguchihe.
However, Tokyo said it was not reconsidering its aid to Myanmar, assistance that puts it at odds with allies the United States and the European Union.
In the 10 years since it joined ASEAN, Myanmar has proved a major headache for the region's budding democracies, who have been admonished by the West for failing to press for reforms.
Malaysia urged Myanmar to move toward national reconciliation before it was too late.
"If it is done too slowly, to the extent that people do not see any movement, then they take the law into their own hands and this usually results in dire consequences," Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar said.
The European Union urged Myanmar to respect human rights and refrain from any attack on "the courageous monks".
It a statement, the Portuguese EU presidency called on Myanmar "to respect those rights, and above all not to use violence against people who are committed to non-violence".
Britain, meanwhile, called for the release of democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
"I think it will be 100 times better when she takes her rightful place as the elected leader of a free and democratic Burma," said Foreign Secretary David Miliband.
France said the protests were a legitimate expression of the people's grievances.
"We warn the authorities in Yangon against any attempt to repress by force the expression of the Myanmar people's just political and social demands," said foreign ministry spokesman Frederic Desagneaux. - AFP/de
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