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UNITED NATIONS : World governments vowed on Wednesday to hold Myanmar's military rulers to account for a bloody crackdown on mass street protests, as the UN Security Council prepared to meet in emergency session.
In a joint statement issued in Brussels, the European Union and the United States said they were "deeply troubled" by reports that the security forces had fired on demonstrators and arrested monks spearheading the protests.
The statement called on the Security Council to consider further steps "including sanctions".
UN chief Ban Ki-moon announced the despatch of a special envoy and urged the ruling military "to cooperate fully" with his mission.
But there were divisions over the effectiveness of punitive measures, with China refusing to put overt pressure on its neighbour and close ally, and Australia questioning the impact of any Western action.
On Tuesday, President George W. Bush had announced tougher economic sanctions on Myanmar and its "financial backers".
International concern over the situation rose sharply after witnesses and diplomats in Myanmar's biggest city Yangon said four people were killed and 100 injured on Wednesday as security forces fired on protestors, and used tear-gas and baton charges to disperse the crowds.
About 200 people were arrested - half of them Buddhist monks.
French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said the UN Security Council was meeting at the request of European members and stressed that real pressure could only be brought to bear by major Asian playmakers like China and India.
"One can tighten sanctions, why not? But more importantly countries of the region now can no longer tolerate, as in the past, such a dictatorial regime," he told reporters on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session in New York.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Myanmar was under a global microscope and said the UN envoy should make the seriousness of the situation clear to the "illegitimate and repressive" regime.
"The whole world is going to hold it to account," Brown said. "The age of impunity in neglecting and overriding human rights is over."
But Russia, another permanent UN Security Council member, insisted that the events were an "internal matter" for Myanmar to resolve.
"We believe that the country's authorities, like the participants in protests, will use mutual restraint and not allow the situation to be destabilised further," the foreign ministry said in Moscow.
Russia and China had vetoed a Security Council resolution in January urging Myanmar's rulers to free all political detainees.
UN human rights chief Louise Arbour said she was "gravely concerned" about the well being and safety of demonstrators, and rights groups called on the UN Security Council to impose its own arms embargo and to stop China and India providing weapons to Myanmar.
India limited itself to an expression of concern and said it was closely monitoring the situation.
"It is our hope that all sides will resolve their issues peacefully through dialogue," the foreign ministry in Delhi said in a statement.
"India has always believed that Myanmar's process of political reform and national reconciliation should be more inclusive and broad-based," it added.
Meanwhile, the European Union began drawing up fresh sanctions against the Myanmar, 375 members of whom are already banned from entering the EU.
Experts said any new measures would have to be swiftly followed by vigorous international diplomacy to press Myanmar to bow to unprecedented public demands for freedom.
Singapore, which chairs the regional ASEAN bloc, said it was "deeply concerned" by the reports of clashes and called for "utmost restraint".
Australia's Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said his country would not follow the US move in imposing economic sanctions because they "would have absolutely no impact."
Downer argued that China was the only country with a hope of convincing Myanmar's rulers to speed up moves towards political reform.
Germany and Italy both expressed shock at the reports of violence, with Berlin saying it expected "those in power (in Myanmar) to shun violence and finally clear the way for a democratic and peaceful future for the country." - AFP/de
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