YANGON (AFP) - Myanmar's military regime reshuffled its cabinet, removing three long-serving members including the foreign minister, according to state-run media.
Foreign Minister Win Aung and his deputy Khin Maung Win were "permitted to retire" and were replaced by men with military backgrounds and no major experience in government.
The changes at the foreign ministry come as Myanmar faces strong criticism on the world stage over the coming weeks at the United Nations general assembly and at a gathering in October of the European Union and Southeast Asian nations.
Myanmar, isolated politically and subject to international sanctions, is regularly condemned by chief critics the US and Europe over its human rights record and lack of political freedoms.
"It is rather surprising, there had been some rumors lately on a reshuffle, but within the military intelligence, not the foreign affairs," according to a Yangon-based Western analyst.
"Win Aung and Khin Maung Win are people who used to deal with the international community, people we used to have a dialogue with," the analyst said.
"He has some experience of the international scene, he is considered in favor of (political) dialogue (in Myanmar)."
The EU had previously threatened to pull out of the Asia-Europe meeting (ASEM) because of the continued detention of Myanmar's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and the failure of the junta to carry out democratic reforms.
But both sides had indicated the October 8-9 meeting could go ahead if Myanmar had a lower-level delegation.
The EU has also threatened to tighten existing sanctions unless Yangon takes steps to improve its human rights record.
Thailand said the Association of Southeast Asian nations (ASEAN) would be satisfied with a team headed by the foreign minister.
That post is now taken by Major-General Nyan Win, who has never held any civilian post. His deputy will be another military man, Colonel Maung Myint.
However, Myanmar had kept its counsel over the team it planned to send to Hanoi and the reshuffle could be seen as manoeuvring ahead of the meeting.
The reshuffle has also been seen as a move to strengthen control of the government under Than Shwe, the head of the junta.
Observers said the reshuffle was not likely to lead to a change in policy direction, but the removal of an experienced political operator showed that the military, which has ruled Myanmar since 1962, did not set much store in its relations with the rest of the world.
Minister of Agriculture Major General Nyunt Tin and Transport Minister Major-General Hla Myint Swe also retired, state media said.
There were changes at other ministries within the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) but no reason was given for the reshuffle on the 16th anniversary of the start of the current junta.
Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, launched a national political convention earlier this year which it billed as the first step in its "roadmap" to democracy.
The process was rejected as having no legitimacy by the UN, as Aung San Suu Kyi's party, the National League for Democracy (NLD) was not part of it.