The United States, France and Britain have circulated a watered-down statement to the UN Security Council that "strongly deplores" Burma's recent military crackdown of pro-democracy protesters.
Their revised draft statement does not "condemn" Burma's repression of the protesters, but it does demand a full account of those jailed, missing or killed.
China, a permanent member of the council with veto powers, pushed successfully for softer language than first drafted.
The Security Council is expected to issue a statement in the next few days.
Burmese officials say the crackdown on pro-democracy protesters left 10 people dead. Dissidents put the number of fatalities at 200.
China says it is opposed to sanctions to force Burma's military leadership towards democratic reforms. Burma's fellow members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, say they, too, oppose sanctions.
In related news, the Inter-Parliamentary Union is calling for the release of 26 members of parliament who are imprisoned in Burma. The rights group says about half of those jailed legislators were locked up during the recent demonstrations.