Ban Ki-moon, UN secretary-general, attacked Burma's military rulers this weekend after thearmy chief rebuffed his plea to meet Aung San Suu Kyi, the jailed Nobel prizewinner.

In a rare critical public speech to 500 state officials, diplomats and opposition politicians at Rangoon's Drug Elimination Museum, Mr Ban said the military junta had "missed a very important opportunity" as it prepared for parliamentary elections next year.