By Larry Jagan BBC Burma analyst in Bangkok

Burma's military rulers have renewed their efforts to isolate the democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi just weeks after releasing her from house arrest.

The National League for Democracy (NLD) leader has not met any senior military officials since her release on 6 May, and the generals have made no attempt to resume talks with her.

The two sides started secretive talks in October 2000, and Aung San Suu Kyi's release had seemed to signal the start of more substantive negotiations.

Shortly after Aung San Suu Kyi was freed, Burma's deputy intelligence chief, Brigadier General Kyaw Win told journalists that both sides trusted each other and a new stage in the dialogue process would start soon - but that was more than four weeks ago.

Renewed restrictions

The generals are again trying to restrict the opposition leader's movements and political activities.

Since her release Aung San Suu Kyi has been visiting party offices and inspecting international aid projects.

Crowds of people have welcomed Aung San Suu Kyi

It is these latter visits which worry the generals most. So far Aung San Suu Kyi has visited a UNICEF project and a hospital in the capital Rangoon - the Muslim Free Hospital.

Both times thousands of people gathered to glimpse Aung San Suu Kyi, according to Rangoon residents. When she visited the hospital, the traffic was brought to a standstill.

The opposition leader is anxious to see more aid projects, and many international groups working in Burma have invited her to visit their showcase projects.

On Wednesday Aung San Suu Kyi was scheduled to visit a Japanese non-governmental organisation, but the trip was cancelled by the government. Earlier the government also refused permission for the opposition leader to visit UN programmes in government buildings.

Essential work

Opposition sources say visiting these kinds of projects is an important part of the work of the NLD's central executive committee, as it prepares a report on the need for humanitarian assistance.

For some time NLD party leaders, including Aung San Suu Kyi, have been critical of UN aid programmes. They have suggested that a thorough examination be carried out of what money has been spent and what impact it has had on the lives of the poor before increased aid is considered.

NLD sources say its report on the humanitarian situation and the review of the party's policy on aid should be completed by the end of the month.

This is crucial, they say, before the dialogue process can proceed onto substantive issues.

Threats

But while the NLD leaders are preparing for the talks to resume and move onto the next stage, Burma's generals appear more anxious to isolate Aung San Suu Kyi than engage her in fresh discussions about the country's future.

Burma's generals appear to be back-tracking

The generals certainly do not want her to be seen socially. After Aung San Suu Kyi attended a prominent wedding in Rangoon recently, the father of one of the couple - a former ambassador and now a prominent businessman - had all his government contracts cancelled and his mobile phone confiscated.

The military government has warned other businessmen that there would be severe repercussions if they have any contact with Aung San Suu Kyi.

The big test

When she was released, Aung San Suu Kyi said all restrictions upon her had been lifted, but the reality now seems very different.

The real test will be when she tries to make her first visit outside Rangoon. Opposition sources say she plans to do that within the next few weeks and Mandalay is the most likely destination.

It was her attempt to travel to that city by train that led to her being placed under house arrest in September 2000.