 Diplomats were allowed to meet Aung San Suu Kyi on Wednesday |
Burma has "strongly rejected" regional condemnation of the trial of democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, as talks open between Asian and European ministers.
The junta accused Thailand, current chair of the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean), of interfering in Burma's internal affairs.
Asean last week expressed "grave concern" over the treatment of Aung San Suu Kyi, a rare step by the group.
Burma's actions are likely to dominate the Asia-Europe meeting (Asem).
"This statement issued by the alternate Asean chairman - which is not in conformity with Asean practice, incorrect in facts, interfering in the internal affairs of Myanmar - is strongly rejected by Myanmar," the New Light of Myanmar newspaper reported said, using its own name for Burma.
"It is sadly noted that the alternate Asean chairman failed to preserve the dignity of Asean, the dignity of Myanmar and the dignity of Thailand," said the statement, which was also carried on state-run television and radio.
East meets West?
Ministers from 45 nations - the EU, the Asean, China, Japan, South Korea, India and Pakistan - are taking part in talks in the Vietnamese capital, Hanoi.
Discussions are expected to cover the global economy, climate change, and Burma.
Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi is on trial on charges of violating her house arrest after an incident in which an American man swam to her house. She faces up to five years in jail.
Despite the outrage over the charges, EU foreign ministers last week failed to agree on new sanctions against Burma's military rulers.
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Asean last week warned Burma - who is a member of the organisation - that Ms Suu Kyi's trial puts the country's "honour and credibility" at stake.
But Thailand - who currently chairs Asean - said the group would not change its position of engagement with Burma and China has flatly refused to get involved.
Diplomats say the division between Asian nations and the West over Burma has also caused frustration in economic matters, the BBC's Nga Pham in Hanoi says.
She adds that the current sanctions against Burma are preventing the EU from signing a free trade deal with Asean.
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