There was no immediate response from the Junta to the announcement from the leading Opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) party of Aung San Suu Kyi but foreign diplomats said the military rulers could not allow the new parliament to be convened.

``You would have the National League for Democracy dominating the parliament and issuing announcements effectively as the government of Burma,'' said one western envoy, using the former official name for Myanmar.

The National League for Democracy statement late Friday came as a leading dissident group called for a nationwide uprising against the Junta when it failed to meet an Opposition deadline to convene the parliament elected in 1990 but never allowed to sit.

``The National League for Democracy will be convening a parliament soon,'' a party statementsaid.

The statement did not say when it would be formed or where it would sit, but most elected members of parliament are believed to be active. A number of them have died since the polls, and others have quit their parties or left Myanmar.

The Thailand-based All Burma Students Democratic Front (ABSDF), one of the biggest and most influential of Opposition groups, said the Junta had ignored people's will and the international community by failing to hand over power to pro-democratic forces.

``We therefore call on the people to begin an uprising, starting from August 21, to bring democracy and human rights to Burma,'' the ABSDF said in a statement, using the former official name for Myanmar.

``We believe that there is no reason to continue to ask the military for democracy and that the only way forward is through a people's movement.''The National League for Democracy, which led the Opposition to a landslide victory in 1990 polls but has never been allowed to take power, had demanded the Junta toconvene parliament by Friday or face unspecified consequences.

``The parliament has been invested with powers. As representatives of the people they must take on these responsibilities,'' the National League for Democracy said.

``Given the prevailing situation today, the parliamentarians have the responsibility to draft a future constitution along democratic lines.``By failing to fulfill their obligations of convening this parliament the authorities have ignored people's desire but they have rescinded on their promises made earlier,'' the statement said. ``The National League for Democracy has a responsibility to convene parliament,'' it said.

Aung San Suu Kyi was camped out on a bridge 25 kilometres (15 miles) from Yangonon on Saturday for the 11th consecutive day after being blocked from travelling to meet provincial supporters as the Junta ignored her protest and her deadline for convening the parliament, foreign diplomats said.

The ABSDF also gave its full backing to Aung San Suu Kyi in herstandoff and expressed concern about her health.

Yangon was quiet on Saturday and residents said many were staying home out of apprehension unrest would erupt. Truckloads of troops have been deployed late at night at strategic locations this week in what residents said was an apparent bid to discourage any form of protest.

Black-market foreign exchange trade has been brought to an effective as the kyat currency languishes at new lows because of the tension and the Asian economic crisis.