The United Nations’ special envoy to Burma said on Friday he was “cautiously encouraged” by the decision of its military rulers to hold talks with the country’s main opposition leader, but anti-regime activists dismissed the conditional offer as an attempt to dupe the international community.

Addressing the UN Security Council after a four-day visit to Burma, Ibrahim Gambari said unconfirmed reports suggested the casualty toll in the government’s crackdown on street protests was much higher than the dozen deaths it had so far acknowledged.