The new UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, says he welcomes Burma's announcement that it freed as many as 40 political prisoners, but he called on the military government to do more.
Mr. Ban's spokeswoman said Monday Burmese authorities need to make what she called "concrete progress" on issues such as human rights and democratic reforms.
The spokeswoman said Burma needs to free all political prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel Peace Prize winning democracy activist. She has been in and out of Burmese jails or under house arrest for 17 years.
Burma last week grated amnesty to nearly 2,900 prisoners, including as many as 40 political prisoners.
The Security Council has voted to put Burma on its permanent agenda in September.
The United States introduced a draft resolution late last year calling Burma's military government and its suppression of human rights a threat to regional security.
But current council president Russia says while the Burmese issue should be addressed, it opposes a resolution.
