New York  - France and Britain on Friday strongly criticized Myanmar's military regime for failing to implement democratic reform and freeing political prisoners, even though that government has announced the amnesty for 6,000 prisoners.

France's UN Ambassador Jean Maurice Ripert lashed out at Ibrahim Gambari, the special envoy of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, for an unauthorized meeting with Myanmar's junta leader Senior General Than Shwe during his recent visit that country.

Gambari met with the 15-nation council to report on his trip. But Ripert said progress in the talks presented by Gambari were "very thin and disappointing."

The UN had demanded the junta implement democratic reform and meet benchmarks like the release of all political prisoners and institute national reconciliation and democratic elections. It called for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of the opposition party National League for Democracy, who has been under house arrest for more than 10 years.

Myanmar announced Friday amnesty for more than 6,000 prisoners without much detail about their backgrounds. Suu Kyi was not among them.

Ripert said Gambari received no serious promises from the junta about meeting the benchmarks set by the international community. Gambari's Myanmar visit last month apparently was intended to prepare for Ban's visit to that country, which the council had encouraged him to take at an appropriate time for political conditions.

British Ambassador John Sawers said Gambari had "better access" in his last visit.

"We regret that there was no real progress," Sawers told reporters. "In fact, the situation has gone backwards."

France and Britain are veto-wielding permanent members of the council. (dpa)