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Myanmar accuses U.S., other U.N. states of bullying

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UNITED NATIONS (CNN) -- Myanmar's foreign minister has accused the United States and other states of ganging up on his country, saying they are seeking to impose their will on developing countries in pursuit of their own political agendas.

In a speech to the U.N. General Assembly, Foreign Minister Nyan Win did not specifically mention the United States but was clearly referring to Washington when he said "powerful states" on the U.N. Security Council had created an "environment of hostility in the international community."

"To our dismay and frustration, there has been glaring abuse of the mandate entrusted to the Security Council by its member states by unjustly placing the situation of Myanmar on the agenda of the Security Council by alleging that it poses a threat to regional peace and security," Win said. "Nothing could be further from the truth."

The Security Council voted on September 15 -- in a U.S. initiative -- to add Myanmar to its formal agenda on the grounds it threatened international peace and security.

While 10 of the council's 15 members voted to add it to the agenda, China, Russia, Qatar and the Congo Republic voted "no" and Tanzania abstained.

"Myanmar has done nothing that can undermine the peace and security of any country, let alone regional or international peace and security," Win said.

"The founders of the U.N. did not intend the world body to become a forum where some members with political and economic clout could gang up against a member state and label it for what it is not."

The United States intends to introduce a resolution demanding freedom for political prisoners in Myanmar and a democratic movement toward national reconciliation, claiming political repression there is damaging stability throughout Southeast Asia.

The Security Council is expected to meet on Friday to discuss Myanmar, formerly known as Burma.

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