Rice urges Asean to step up pressure on Burma

The group has taken credit for facilitate international pledging to help Burma after the Cyclone Nargis and should use the momentum for the benefit of political change in the military-ruled country, she said.

"Now the question is, given the slight opening that provided, that is there a way to move Burma to a political track…as the roadmap goes nowhere," Rice said.

"Would it be possible for regional states and neighbors to press the regime to release Aung San Suu Kyi to allow real oppositions to get on the track," she said.

Political stalemate in Burma was widely discussed in many international forums as the junta has done little progress toward democracy as well as rejected real participation of opposition and ethnic minority in its so-called seven step roadmap to democracy and national reconciliation.

The junta declined to accept Asean's role in the process of political reform saying that it is comfortable to work with the United Nations special envoy Ibrahim Gambari who is scheduled to visit the country next month after leaving previously with empty hand.

Gambari sought genuine political dialogue between the junta and Aung San Suu Kyi which remained unclear how to materialize.