NAYPYIDAW - UN SECRETARY General Ban Ki Moon held talks with the head of Myanmar's military junta on Friday, after the UN chief said he would press for the release of Ms Aung San Suu Kyi.

Shortly after the UN chief arrived in Myanmar, the court presiding over Ms Aung San Suu Kyi's widely criticized trial announced an adjournment until July 10. The trial had been set to resume on Friday after a monthlong delay with her final defense witness taking the stand.

Shortly after his arrival, Mr Ban flew to Naypyitaw, Myanmar's remote administrative capital, where he met with the junta leader, Senior General Than Shwe, in an ornate reception hall with a collonaded walkway and an indoor waterfall.

Earlier in Yangon, the commercial capital, Mr Ban told reporters it would be 'a very tough mission'.

Senior UN officials traveling with Mr Ban called the trip a 'highly risky' one for the secretary-general, whose image would suffer if the junta ignores his demands - as it has repeatedly shunned global calls in the past for democratic reforms.

Ms Suu Kyi is charged with violating the terms of her house arrest when an uninvited American man swam secretly to her lakeside home in May and stayed for two days. She has pleaded not guilty and faces five years in prison if convicted.

The trial has sparked outrage from world leaders, Hollywood celebrities, other Nobel laureates and human rights groups who say the military-controlled government is using the bizarre incident as an excuse to keep Ms Suu Kyi behind bars through elections scheduled for 2010. Ms Suu Kyi has been in detention for nearly 14 of the last 20 years.

Mr Ban is also scheduled to meet Prime Minister General Thein Sein. He was also scheduled to meet ethnic minority groups and leaders of political parties including senior members of Ms Suu Kyi's party, the National League for Democracy, who were driven to Naypyitaw on Thursday, government officials said on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the itinerary.

Mr Ban had previously said his talks would focus on 'three of the most important issues for the future of Myanmar'.

They are gaining the release of all political prisoners including Ms Suu Kyi; resumption of dialogue between the military government and its opposition; and creating conditions for credible elections. - AFP, AP.