KEY POINTS:
Prime Minister Helen Clark is confident China will use its diplomatic muscle to pressure Myanmar to engage with the United Nations.
Helen Clark held talks with China's Premier Wen Jiabao in Singapore before yesterday's East Asia Summit.
The issue of Myanmar dominated two days of Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean) meetings and was expected to also dominate the 16-nation summit.
Helen Clark has been lobbying other leaders to pressure Myanmar to stop human rights abuses and take steps towards democracy.
She said she raised the issue with Mr Wen and was confident China would use its influence to ensure Myanmar kept engaging with UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari.
"The reason Mr Gambari has had access and continues to have access is because China has made absolutely clear its expectation that he should and will have access," she said.
"They are absolutely committed to backing the UN process and I think behind the scenes they will be very active in seeing that Myanmar continues to respond to that process."
Helen Clark was to meet Mr Gambari after Myanmar managed to derail a planned formal briefing to summit leaders.
The UN envoy has made two visits to Myanmar since September, when the regime mounted a violent crackdown on dissent that left at least 15 dead and thousands in prison.
Helen Clark said it would have been better for Mr Gambari to address the summit, but as a result of Myanmar's campaign to scuttle the briefing it had received a "much harder clip in public" from other Asean leaders.
That came in the form of a statement urging Myanmar to release political prisoners, co-operate with the UN and move towards democracy.
The Prime Minister said Asean leaders appeared embarrassed by Myanmar's actions, despite several presiding over authoritarian Governments themselves.
"I think the particular embarrassment ... is [that] not only is it an authoritarian Government, but it is one that is prepared to turn guns on peaceful protesters."
Helen Clark believed UN efforts to lock the regime into democratic reform could succeed with Asean and China's backing.
Asean leaders this week signed a charter establishing rules and allowing the creation of a regional human rights body.
As well as the Asean nations, the East Asia Summit draws in New Zealand, China, India, Japan, South Korea and Australia.
Climate change and steps towards a regional free-trade zone are the other issues expected to dominate the summit.
- NZPA
