The U.S. government says the United Nations could take action against Burma's military government in light of its decision to continue the detention of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters Tuesday that UN action was a possibility and that the Security Council will be briefed on the matter. But he said it is possible that the briefing could be the extent of the UN action.
On Tuesday, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan expressed his deep disappointment in Burma's decision and said he will continue to make every effort to secure the release of Aung San Suu Kyi and Burma's other political detainees.
Aung San Suu Kyi has been under house arrest since 2003. Her party, the National League for Democracy, won Burma's elections in 1990 by an overwhelming margin, but the military leadership refuses to yield power to a civilian government.
Information for this report is provided by AFP.