Yangon:  About 30 people marched in silence to the US embassy in Yangon on today (Jan 30,2007) morning, apparently in protest at Washington s support for a failed UN resolution against Myanmar s military rulers.

"The protesters identified themselves only as 'Myanmar nationalists and stayed in front of the embassy for about 10 minutes," witnesses said.

"They are holding posters in their hand, but there s no shouting or chanting," one witness told sources.

Such actions are rarely tolerated without the blessing of Myanmar s military rulers, and the protesters posters used the cryptic language often seen in official media when the junta takes swipes at its critics.

"Down with axe handle who wants to grab power through shortcut," the posters read in English.

The government often refers to the United States as an 'axe handle' because of its support for pro-democracy groups in Myanmar, which the government believes are trying to cut into their control over the country.

The United States had proposed a resolution at the UN Security Council against Myanmar s government, accusing the junta of posing a threat to regional security because of its failure to make democratic reforms and alleged human rights abuses.

China and Russia earlier this month vetoed the resolution, which called on Myanmar s junta to free political prisoners, end sexual violence by the military and speed up democratic reform.

Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, has been ruled by the military since 1962.