Asean today chided China and India for not pushing Burma to move towards democracy, with the bloc's chief Ong Keng Yong questioning their commitment to the grouping.

"I think we should ask our friends in China and India to be more persuasive," the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) secretary-general told reporters in Kuala Lumpur.

"What's the point of you being a dialogue partner when you are not seen to be contributing to the credibility and stature of the organisation?" he said. "We can persuade them, but ultimately it is their decision."

In unsually frank comments that reflect growing concern over the Burmese junta's instransigence, Ong said he was disappointed over Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar's recent visit to Yangon.

Syed Hamid was sent as an Asean envoy to check on the regime's claims it is shifting towards democracy, but despite months of negotiations he was refused permission to see detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

"I am disappointed that this opportunity has not yielded the kind of sweeter fruits that we wanted," Ong said.

Ong signalled the gloves would come off when Southeast Asian foreign ministers meet next month in Bali, where both Syed Hamid and his Myanmar counterpart Nyan Win will give briefings on the visit.

"We see there will be a good exchange of views. This is no longer one-sided," he said.

Asked what steps Asean could take to exert pressure on Burma, Ong said the bloc had few options and that there was no mechanism to expel a member.

"Asean, you know, loves to look after everybody's ego and interests... So there is a very limited space for us to manoeuvre," he said.

"The reason why Myanmar has done what it has done is because of its own national interest, but also maybe they feel Asean is not in a position to dictate terms to them."

Distance from Burma

Under intense pressure from other members, Burma deferred the Asean chairmanship which it was due to hold in 2007, and Ong said it would not take up the role the following year either.

"They are not ready to take over the chair after the Philippines, so according to our alphabetical rotation it goes to Singapore," he said.

Singapore's Foreign Minister George Yeo said this month that China's and India's open policy on Burma diluted the impact of Western sanctions, and that Asean should consider distancing iself from Burma if it refused to reform.

China is Burma's staunchest international ally and a major main trading partner.

It has always refused to become involved in the "internal affairs" Burma which has been ruled by the military for four decades.