nd the country's political crisis, as the junta's foreign minister defended a deadly crackdown on democracy advocates that provoked global revulsion. Security forces lightened their presence in Yangon, the country's main city, which remained quiet after troops and police brutally quelled mass protests last week. Dissident groups say up to 200 protesters were slain, compared to the regime's report of 10 deaths, and 6,000 detained.
"Normalcy has now returned in Myanmar," Foreign Minister Nyan Win told the U.N. General Assembly in New York, adding that security forces acted with restraint for a month but had to "take action to restore the situation."
Nyan Win made no reference to the deaths. Instead, he blamed foreign elements for the violence.
"Recent events make clear that there are elements within and outside the country who wish to derail the ongoing process (toward democracy) so that they can take advantage of the chaos that would follow," Nyan Win said.
"They have become more and more emboldened and have stepped up their campaign to confront the government," he said.
Nyan Win's comments indicated that the junta would not give up its hardline position and is willing to thumb its nose at international demands to restore democracy and free pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
The demands are expected to be conveyed Tuesday by Ibrahim Gambari, the U.N.'s special envoy to Myanmar, to junta leader Senior Gen. Than Shwe.
Gambari has been in the country since Saturday but Than Shwe has not made himself available. He was given an appointment for a meeting Tuesday in Than Shwe's new capital, Naypyitaw, said U.N. deputy spokeswoman Marie Okabe in New York.
But there was no word on what time the meeting will take place.
Than Shwe is notoriously difficult to meet with. In previous sparring with the United Nations and other international bodies over human rights abuses, the regime has repeatedly snubbed envoys and ignored diplomatic overtures.
