But the Western boycott of the conference, intended to starve the military government of legitimacy took the gloss off the event, they said. ``They will be pleased with the unequivocal nature of the Interpol praise but once again the political situation poisoned things,'' one analyst in Yangon said.Government sources said they were very happy with the conference, saying it showed that Myanmar was a partner of foreign nations. But the absence of the US, Britain, France and other European nations underscored Myanmar's bitter political stalemate between the government and Aung San Suu Kyi's opposition.An argument is also raging over Myanmar'shuman rights record which has soured ties between the European Union, and the ASEAN which admitted Myanmar in 1997. ``The people who are leading the anti-drugs programme are the ones who are guilty of the human rights abuses. Until it changes Myanmar cannot be allowed to host conferences and feel it is a full international partner,'' said a diplomat from a nation boycotting the meeting.

The opposite view was voiced by a diplomat from a country which did go to the conference. ``If you are in this country as a diplomat you are accredited to the Government -- you have already granted them legitimacy,'' the diplomat said.

Myanmar's military Government is accused by the West of blatant human rights abuses and is pilloried for refusing to hand over power to Aung San Suu Kyi's opposition which won a crushing 1990 election victory.

Aung San Suu Kyi herself was scathing about the conference. ``It doesn't seem to have been a tremendous success as far as we can make out,'' the National League for Democracy leaderand Nobel laureate told reporters. ``I know of course that many countries boycotted the conference and didn't attend so I cannot say we consider it one which was very successful.''