Ibrahim Gambari, the United Nations special envoy to Burma, said on Friday he would continue his role of mediator despite opposition accusations that he has failed to dent the ruling junta’s resistance to restoring democracy.

Ban Ki-Moon, UN secretary-general, has faced pressure to scrap the Gambari mission since the Nigerian diplomat returned from his latest visit to Burma last month without securing meetings with either Than Shwe, head of the military regime, or Aung San Suu Kyi, the detained opposition leader. It was the first time she had declined to meet the envoy.