Southeast Asian leaders have called off a briefing by UN envoy Ibrahim Gambari on the situation in Burma after the junta objected, Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar told AFP Monday.

"The briefing is off," Syed Hamid told AFP in an interview as leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) held informal talks ahead of their annual summit on Tuesday.

"It has been cancelled because I think Myanmar feels that they deal with the UN and it is their own domestic matter. This evening, Myanmar objected and we base our decisions on consensus." Myanmar is the name given to Burma by its military rulers.

Asean has come under mounting international pressure to rein in member state Burma in the wake of September's suppression of mass pro-democracy protests that left at least 15 dead.

Gambari had been invited by Asean summit host Singapore to brief Southeast Asian leaders plus their counterparts from Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea on his two recent missions to Burma on Wednesday.

But the Malaysian minister said while the bloc supported Gambari's efforts in the military-run state, he would not be asked to collectively report on his work to the region's leaders.

"If they want any briefing, Myanmar will do the briefing," Syed Hamid said.

"It is an Asean matter. We will continue to support the UN but we cannot take the matter out of the Asean forum and take it into some other forum."

Burma's internal affair

The minister however insisted the move should not be "considered a slap to the UN.

"This does not preclude if anyone wants to see Gambari - that's up to them," he said.

Syed Hamid also deflected suggestions that the international community would see the cancellation as a victory for Burma, which is always keen to avoid any scrutiny of its internal affairs.

"Whatever reaction from outside, to me that doesn't matter. What matters is how it affects Asean."

When asked if Gambari would meet leaders one-on-one while in Singapore, Syed Hamid replied: "That may be the best option available for him and for those who want first-hand information on how he's handling the Myanmar situation."

Earlier, two of Syed Hamid's counterparts suggested the controversial briefing could have been downgraded to exclude Asean's six East Asia dialogue partners.

"If Gambari's briefing takes place, it should be limited only to the Asean leaders," Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda said - a position echoed by Thailand's Nitya Pibulssongram.

Asean for the 40 years of its existence has followed a policy of reaching decisions based on consensus - meaning no votes are taken, so nations cannot be outvoted into accepting something they do not want.

Embarrassment for Singapore

The incident is an embarrassment for host nation Singapore which has been openly faulted for its handling by several of its neighbours.

Syed Hamid said pointedly: "The host country invited Gambari - it was not something that was done by Asean."

The Malaysian minister suggested that while the Asean leaders were keen to meet with Gambari, they felt that the inclusion of their six dialogue partners effectively sidelined the bloc.

"The intention is good, but it should be within Asean," he said.

Asean has always insisted that it is central to the dialogue processes it has initiated, including the East Asia Summit which includes an array of regional heavyweights.

Syed Hamid said the Gambari briefing went to the heart of this issue.

"It is the centrality of Asean. The proper venue, if at all, should be Asean," he said.