In New York Wednesday, John Bolton proposed that U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan brief the 15-nation Council on what he called the "deteriorating situation in Burma."
In a closed-door session, however, Council members delayed action on the briefing request. Russian Ambassador Andrey Denisov, the current Council president, questioned whether Burma merits consideration by the panel -- whose mandate is limited to threats to international peace and security.
Thaung Htun, the U.N. representative of the group which calls itself the Burmese government in exile, applauded the U.S. move to urgently address the situation.
Earlier, the U.N.'s special human rights envoy for Burma, Paulo Sergio Pinheiro condemned the military junta in Rangoon for its extended detention of democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The Nobel Peace Prize laureate has spent 10 of the last 16 years in detention.
In a closed-door session, however, Council members delayed action on the briefing request. Russian Ambassador Andrey Denisov, the current Council president, questioned whether Burma merits consideration by the panel -- whose mandate is limited to threats to international peace and security.
Thaung Htun, the U.N. representative of the group which calls itself the Burmese government in exile, applauded the U.S. move to urgently address the situation.
Earlier, the U.N.'s special human rights envoy for Burma, Paulo Sergio Pinheiro condemned the military junta in Rangoon for its extended detention of democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The Nobel Peace Prize laureate has spent 10 of the last 16 years in detention.