The United Nations Security Council on Thursday expressed serious concern at the conviction and sentencing of Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma’s opposition leader, and on the political impact in her country.

The message to the Burmese junta was delivered in a press statement by John Sawers, UK envoy on the council and its current president. The format was one level below a formal presidential statement and considerably less than a fully-fledged binding resolution.