Mon Oct 1, 2:07 PM ET

WASHINGTON - The White House on Monday expressed serious concerns about "continued reports of violence and intimidation" in Myanmar and kept up pressure for its military rulers to give way to democratic rule.

At the same time, spokeswoman Dana Perino highlighted the importance of the diplomatic mission there by UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari, sent to Myanmar to express outrage over the deadly crackdown on anti-government protests.

And US President George W. Bush's deputy national security adviser, Jim Jeffrey, was to meet with China's ambassador to Washington, Zhou Wenzhong, to discuss Sino-US cooperation on the crisis, said Perino.

"The United States is committed to working with countries around the world to make sure that the region moves Burma towards peaceful transition to democracy," said Perino, Bush's chief spokeswoman.

"There are continued reports of violence and intimidation coming out of Burma. That is of great concern to the president and Mrs Bush," said Perino.

In Myanmar's main city of Yangon, which bore the brunt of the campaign to shut down two weeks of anti-government rallies, the military presence lifted slightly and shops and Buddhist pagodas reopened.

Asked what violence she was referring to, Perino said that the junta's forces had "brutalized" protesters and some journalists last week and said "that could have a chilling effect on any type of protest."

"But they have a right to peacefully protest, and we would ask that the Burmese refrain from using violence against them," she said. Washington does not recognize the name Myanmar and continues to call the country Burma.

Perino expressed US support for Gambari, saying that Washington was "pleased" that the envoy was able to meet with Myanmar democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi.

"We understand he remains in Burma in order to see junta leader Than Shwe. We obviously think it's important that all of those meetings take place, that he be allowed to meet with everyone that he's asked to meet with," she said.

"We think it's important that the process of national reconciliation start, and part of that process is getting these meetings underway," said the spokeswoman.