U.N. associate spokesman Farhan Haq said Gambari would urge the junta "to cease the repression of peaceful protest, release detainees, and move more credibly and inclusively in the direction of democratic reform, human rights and national reconciliation."

State Department spokesman Tom Casey said the U.S. wanted to see Gambari convey a clear message on behalf of the world body "about the need for Burma's leaders to engage in a real and serious political dialogue with all relative parties."

He said that included talking with Suu Kyi, the Nobel peace laureate who has been under house arrest for years. Gambari was allowed to meet with Suu Kyi on Sunday.

In Yangon, an uneasy calm prevailed on the streets Tuesday after last week's turmoil. Soldiers dismantled roadblocks but riot police still checked cars and buses.

The military has ruled Myanmar since 1962, and the current junta came to power in 1988 after crushing a much larger pro-democracy movement in which about 3,000 people are believed to have been killed. The generals called elections in 1990 but refused to give up power when Suu Kyi's party won.

Simmering anger against the junta exploded in mid-August after it hiked fuel prices as much as 500 percent. Soon, the small isolated marches by people ballooned into mass demonstrations led by Buddhist monks.

Opposition groups say several thousand people were arrested in the crackdown, which reached its peak on Sept. 26 and 26 when troops opened fire on unarmed demonstrators. Also, many monks were dragged out of their monasteries and locked up. Many demonstrators were reported held in makeshift prisons at old factories, a race track and universities around Yangon.

It was impossible to independently verify the reports in the tightly controlled nation.

"The people are angry but afraid. Many are poor and struggling in life so they don't join the protests anymore. The monks are weak because they were subjected to attacks," said Theta, a 30-year-old university graduate who drives a taxi and gave only his first name.

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