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No accreditation provisions were made for such groups to have a presence at the 40th anniversary summit of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN), with Burma's Prime Minister Thein Sein and Foreign Minister U Nyan Win scheduled to attend along with the heads of the nine other ASEAN member countries.

Public demonstrations against Burma have flared elsewhere, but police said only one request was made by a Singapore group to have "an assembly" in front of the Shangri-La Hotel, the venue for the events starting Sunday through Thursday, expected to be attended by 1,000 delegates from 43 nations.

Singapore's police, armed forces and civil defence force are coordinating stringent security measures ahead of the summit and related meetings.

A landmark ASEAN Charter will be signed, giving the body a legal identity after four decades. The charter, to be inked Tuesday, commits the members to "strengthen democracy, enhance good governances and the rule of law, and to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms."

The lack of an effective enforcement mechanism has been a target for critics.

Singapore Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Zainul Abidin Rasheed said there was concern that the Burma issue could become a "spoiler" at the meetings.

Burma's military government maintains that 10 people were killed when troops opened fire on peaceful protesters in September. Diplomats and dissidents contend the death toll was much higher.

Zainul, who returned Wednesday from a two-day visit to Burma, told a conference that there is confidence about making headway.

"We will be able to make defining positions about how (Burma) braces itself with the challenges of democratization" and how it sees its neighbours, he said.

The police presence numbers 2,500 officers including the elite security command and special-operations command. The Gurkha contingent will be on standby for any indication of public disorder.

None of the 120 new BMWs carrying heads of state and other VIPs will fly the small flags indicating the delegates' countries, to prevent any of them from being targeted by potential attackers, police said.

Metal detectors and security checks are being set up at the 11 hotels housing delegates.

Singapore motorists were told to expect delays as some roads will be cordoned off. Random vehicles and members of the public near the event may be subject to checks.

Deutsche Presse-Agentur