The UN secretary-general said he planned to lobby Burma’s junta chief directly today for the release of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, acknowledging that his high-profile mission will be “very difficult”.

Burma’s ruling junta has agreed to allow “all aid workers” into the country to help cyclone survivors, UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon said today.

UN chief Ban Ki-moon met the leader of Burma’s ruling junta today, hoping to persuade him into allowing full international access to 2.5 million cyclone survivors.

Burma's military regime allowed a United Nations envoy into the devastated Irrawaddy delta for a brief tour today after barring almost all foreigners from the cyclone disaster zone for days.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is sending UN humanitarian chief John Holmes to Burma after he failed to sway the leaders of the cyclone-hit country to act more swiftly in helping victims.

The UN’s envoy to Burma suggested today that the country’s military rulers should be offered incentives to move toward democratic reforms.

A United Nations envoy remained tight-lipped today about his meetings with Burma’s junta chief and democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi in a highly-watched mission that followed the regime’s deadly crackdown on democracy protesters.

Burma’s prime minister has been sacked by his hardline army colleagues, clouding prospects for the freedom of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and for democracy in the military-led south-east Asian nation.

BURMA’S secretive military regime has sacked its prime minister, seen as a relative pragmatist, and replaced him with a general who has taken a hard line in dealing with the country’s pro-democracy movement.

A UN envoy visiting Myanmar to secure the release of Aung Saan Suu Kyi will meet the head of the ruling junta today, an aide to the envoy said, in what may be a final bid to see the detained Nobel laureate.