China rejects sanctions as U.N. Myanmar envoy ends talks

By Chris Buckley

BEIJING (Reuters) - The United Nations envoy on Myanmar concluded talks with China on Thursday, with no indication Beijing had agreed to exert tougher pressure on the junta that runs the troubled Southeast Asian nation.

U.N. special envoy Ibrahim Gambari has been visiting Asia to press neighbours -- especially India and China -- to take a tougher line against Myanmar's military government, which harshly quelled pro-democracy protests led by Buddhist clergy.

Earlier this month, U.S. President George W. Bush also urged Beijing and New Delhi to step up pressure and follow Washington's example of applying sanctions.

But China is wary of using sanctions against any country and has major economic and strategic stakes in Myanmar, as does India. After meetings with Gambari, Chinese diplomats gave no public sign of ramping up pressure, instead repeating their argument that talk, not sanctions, is the best approach.

"The Myanmar issue, after all, has to be appropriately resolved by its own people and government through their own efforts of dialogue and consultation," State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan told Gambari on Thursday.

"The international community should provide constructive help for that end and should not only stick to imposing sanctions and pressure," Tang said in remarks carried by the Web site of the Chinese Foreign Ministry (www.fmprc.gov.cn).

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Gambari, who did not speak to reporters in Beijing, that China would continue its efforts to help achieve a "proper resolution" in Myanmar.

China, the closest the isolated junta has to an ally, has expressed concern about the crackdown and helped bring about Gambari's visit to Myanmar earlier this month.