When the United States last attempted to get the council to discuss Myanmar in June, it failed to get enough support from members. But on Friday the council agreed to hold a one-off briefing at a closed meeting in the next few weeks, which the US wants Secretary General Kofi Annan to deliver to demonstrate the importance of the issue.

But Myanmar will not go on the Security Council agenda for further action, in a compromise between countries that believe Myanmar poses a growing threat to international peace and security, led by the United States, and nations that see no immediate threat including Russia, China, Japan, Algeria and Brazil.

Myanmar rejected yesterday US accusations that the military-ruled country is a security threat to the region.

"These accusations are utterly wrong," Information Minister Kyaw Hsan told reporters in Yangon. "For example, the accusation that we are developing nuclear power, we will refute this false accusation."

The Security Council action fell short of adding the situation in Myanmar to the 15-member council's formal agenda.

US Ambassador John Bolton indicated that he saw the upcoming briefing as a step toward getting Myanmar on the council's agenda, which would subject the country to regular international scrutiny and possibly other measures. But Washington would face strong opposition from China and Russia, which have veto power, as well as Japan, the Philippines, Algeria, Brazil and others.

Meanwhile, lawmakers called yesterday on Myanmar to be expelled or suspended from a regional Southeast Asian grouping unless its military rulers carried out substantial democratic reforms within a year.

The chairman of the Inter-parliamentary Myanmar Caucus (AIPMC), Zaid Ibrahim, said the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) had to show it was not complicit with the military junta in Yangon.

"I think the longer the situation goes, this lack of progress and this lack of reform in Myanmar, for Asean to do nothing would suggest Asean is supporting the regime," Zaid told AFP.