Myanmar talks on constitution to resume by Dec: UN envoy

Former Indonesian foreign minister Ali Alatas on Friday held a rare meeting with the junta's top five leaders to discuss reforms at the United Nations, and later met organisers of a national convention charged with drafting a new constitution.

Alatas, who wrapped up the last of a three-day visit to impoverished Myanmar, told reporters the meeting with constitutional talks organisers and others with government-backed social groups were added to his agenda by the junta.

"It was quite interesting but I didn't come for this," Alatas said, stressing his mandate was the UN reform process.

He said national convention senior organiser Judge Aung Toe told him the talks -- which the junta suspended in March -- would resume by December.

The European Union, the United States, the United Nations and human rights groups consider the national convention a sham because it has been boycotted by the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) of Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been under her latest stint of house arrest since May 2003.