The Myanmar authorities have released 692 people out of 2,093 arrested for involvement in protest despite curfew and a ban of demonstration since early last week, state-run Radio Myanmar reported Thursday.

The Yangon authorities imposed on September 25 an 8-hour curfew order from 9 PM to 5 AM (local time) and banned gathering of more than five people in Yangon for 60 days until November 23.

The curfew time was cut on Tuesday to 6 hours which lasts from 10 PM to 4 AM in the light of initial restoration of peace and stability in the city. The move also coincided with the conclusion of the visit of Special Envoy of the United Nations Secretary- General Ibrahim Gambari to the country.

According to compiled statistics based on official figures, since the imposition of the curfew order and the ban of demonstration in the city, a total of 10 protestors have been killed and 16 other civilians injured by shots fired by the security forces, while 45 government security forces wounded during the clashes.

Since September 18, Buddhist monks and local people had taken to the streets to stage demonstrations in Yangon and other parts of the country. But the situation in Yangon and Mandalay has remained calm since the last weekend.

Hoping to deflect outrage over images of soldiers gunning down protesters, Myanmar's leader announced Thursday he is willing to talk with detained democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi -- but only if she stops calling for international sanctions.
 
Pro-democracy protesters hold posters of Aung San Suu Kyi during a Thursday protest in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Senior Gen. Than Shwe also insists Suu Kyi give up urging her countrymen to confront the military regime, state television and radio said in reporting on the conditions set by the junta leader during a meeting this week with a special UN envoy.

(Xinhua News Agency October 5, 2007)