'The people of Myanmar have suffered from isolation for such a long time, and it is high time now that the Myanmar authorities and the people...enjoy democracy and freedom.' UN SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI MOON

'I know the international community is very much impatient, and our patience is running out,' he told a news conference in Bangkok.

'The people of Myanmar have suffered from isolation for such a long time, and it is high time now that the Myanmar authorities and the people...enjoy democracy and freedom.'

A UN human rights envoy said on Friday that Myanmar's crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in September killed at least 31 people, twice the toll acknowledged by the junta. The envoy, Mr Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, also said that 650 people remained in custody from the crackdown and another 74 were missing.

The UN and governments around the world expressed outrage after the junta's troops opened fire on pro-democracy protests led by Buddhist monks.

Rights groups have reported continued arrests and abuse against suspected protesters despite claims by the junta that the crackdown has stopped.

'I would like to emphasise that the return to status quo is not acceptable, and is politically unsustainable,' Mr Ban said, without specifying if the UN planned to toughen its stance against Myanmar.

Mr Ban's strong comments were the latest of many rebukes he has directed at Myanmar's generals, who have a long-standing history of ignoring the UN.

He reiterated the UN's call for the junta to hold reconciliation talks with detained democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate who has been under house arrest for 12 of the past 18 years.

Mr Ban appealed to the 10nation Asean to play a key role in coaxing Myanmar, which is one of the group's members, towards democratic reforms. 'We need Asean's special cooperation,' he said. 'Asean has a special political responsibility in promoting further democratisation.'

Asean, which has a traditional policy of not interfering in members' domestic affairs, has been criticised for not doing enough to pressure Myanmar's military leaders. But, during a recent Asean summit in Singapore, Myanmar made it clear to the other members of the grouping that it preferred to deal directly with the UN, insisting that the situation in the country was a domestic affair.

The UN Secretary-General was in Thailand en route to a UN climate conference in Bali.

Separately, one of the main insurgent groups said yesterday the junta has stepped up its offensive against ethnic Karen rebels following the crackdown on the September pro-democracy protests.

The Karen National Union - the largest rebel group fighting Myanmar's armed forces - said the military began the offensive about one year ago, but the attacks have intensified since October.

It accused the junta of waging a 'genocidal war' against ethnic Karen villagers, saying thousands of people have had to flee their homes to escape the fighting.

ASSOCIATED PRESS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE