Aung San Suu Kyi on Wednesday complained for the first time publicly about the lack of progress in her secret talks with the junta, in a shift from her usually conciliatory stance towards the regime.

"I would like to question the reasons behind these senseless accusations and cannot help but wonder if it is a deliberate act aimed at discrediting the Myanmar military in the eyes of the world," military spokesman Brigadier General Than Tun told reporters.

Than Tun is also the official liaison between the military and Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) party.

"If that be the case, it will not serve the purpose of national reconciliation," he said.

"How can these accusations and criticisms benefit us?" he asked. "I can only say that this kind of thinking is very outdated... and should have been left behind in 1988."

The regime brutally repressed pro-democracy protests that year and has retained an iron-tight grip on power since then despite a massive election win by the NLD in 1990.

In a separate statement the government said that "the official government's representative (Than Tun) is at the NLD's disposal to manage any comments and suggestions they would like to share".

At her rare press conference earlier this week, the Nobel peace laureate questioned the junta's sincerity in wanting to undertake a political dialogue aimed at national reconciliation.

The United Nations brokered talks between Suu Kyi and the junta which began in October 2000 but have not progressed beyond a confidence-building stage.

"We have been concerned with the lack of process. We should move on to a more advanced stage. We have been forced to question the integrity of the SPDC (the ruling State Peace and Development Council) and their sincerity in achieving national reconciliation," she told reporters.

"I have come to the conclusion that the SPDC is not interested in national reconciliation. We need to come to national reconciliation quickly for the sake of the people and the country," she said.

Aung San Suu Kyi has previously maintained a conciliatory approach to the junta, and been extremely careful to avoid alienating the ruling generals.

Just a few months ago, Aung San Suu Kyi said she was "cautiously optimistic" that political change would come to Myanmar.

SPACE.WIRE