UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari has met Burma's military leader to convey international concerns over the violent crackdown of pro-democracy protests.

Mr Gambari held talks with General Than Shwe in the country's new remote capital, Naypidaw, officials said.

At least 10 people were killed, and possibly many more, when security forces ended days of demonstrations.

Earlier, Burma's foreign minister blamed "opportunists" for trying to turn the protests into a showdown.

Speaking to the UN General Assembly in New York, Nyan Win said "normalcy" had returned to the country and denied the security forces had used excessive force.

UN plea

Mr Gambari had been waiting four days to see the Gen Than Shwe before the chairman of Burma's State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) made himself available.     

No details have emerged of the meeting, but a UN spokesman said Mr Gambari would urge the general "to cease the repression of peaceful protest, release detainees, and move more credibly and inclusively in the direction of democratic reform, human rights and national reconciliation".

A spokesman for the US state department, Tom Casey, said Washington wanted Mr Gambari to convey a clear message from the UN "about the need for Burma's leaders to engage in a real and serious political dialogue with all relative parties".

He would also have been able to pass on the views of the detained pro-democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, whom he met on Sunday.

A former Nigerian foreign minister, Mr Gambari was also taken by Burma's deputy foreign minister to a pro-government rally in the town of Lashio.

'Utmost restraint'

The general's reaction to Mr Gambari's comments is likely to have been the same as that of the foreign minister Nyan Win to the UN, says the BBC's Chris Hogg in Bangkok, in neighbouring Thailand.

In front of an international audience at the general assembly, Nyan Win gave his government's version of events in Burma.

He said "neo-colonialism has reared its ugly head" by trying to spread disinformation about human rights abuses in Burma.

"The situation would not have deteriorated had the initial protest of a small group of activists against the rise in fuel prices had not been exploited by political opportunists," he said.

"They sought to turn the situation into a political showdown aided and abetted by some powerful countries. They also took advantage of protests tagged initially by a small group of Buddhist clergy demanding apology for maltreatment of fellow monks by local authorities."

He said that security forces had exercised "utmost restraint" when they stepped in after "the mob became unruly and provocative".

"Normalcy has now returned to Myanmar [Burma]," he said.

Almost two weeks of sustained popular protest, centred in the main city of Rangoon, was halted when police and soldiers moved against protesters late last week.

The authorities said 10 people were killed as the protests were dispersed, though diplomats and activists say the number of dead was many times higher.                   

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