BANGKOK (AFP) -- Washington scored a diplomatic victory by hauling Myanmar before the UN Security Council, but the move is not likely to result in tougher measures like economic sanctions, analysts say.

On Friday, the Council backed a U.S. proposal to put the issue of Myanmar's repression and human rights violations on its formal agenda, defying objections from China, Myanmar's staunchest ally and one of its major trading partners.

The United States has been pressing for several months for Myanmar to be forced onto the council's agenda, arguing that drug trafficking, the mounting numbers of refugees, human rights abuses and the growth of AIDS cases in the Asian nation represent a threat to international peace and security.

The UN's decision underscores the international community's growing frustration with the regime's lack of democratic reform.

"By putting Myanmar's issues on the council's agenda, the United States aims to bring more international pressure on the junta," said one diplomat in Yangon who declined to be named.

"Myanmar has been taking advantage of ASEAN's non-interference policy in domestic affairs and made lots of empty promises about reforms and national reconciliation," said Soe Aung of the Network for Democracy and Development, a Thai-based group of pro-democracy exiles from Myanmar.

But some analysts say Myanmar's biggest trade partners would likely try to block any serious actions against the isolated state, which is a key source of oil and other commodities like gems.

Neighboring China, India and Thailand are all eager to tap Myanmar's vast natural wealth to fuel their own growing economies.

"If the UN Security Council called for sanctions, Thailand, India and China would be very unhappy because they have lots of economic interests in Burma," said Asada Juyanama, Thailand's former ambassador to the UN, calling Myanmar by its former name.

"It will be very difficult because of the veto power of Russia and China," he said.

Analyst Aung Naing Oo also suspected China would be the biggest obstacle to a tougher line against the junta.

"When it comes to Myanmar, you need to have strong resolutions. But I'm not sure China will impose economic sanctions because of its huge economic interests in Myanmar," Aung Naing Oo said.

China has historically opposed UN action over domestic issues and was among four nations that voted against putting Myanmar on the council's agenda, calling the motion "preposterous".

Being on the council agenda means regular formal reports by the UN secretariat on developments in the country, which has been run by the military since 1962.

The Security Council heard two briefings on Myanmar in June and December but the issue was not formally put on the agenda because of the opposition of some countries.

Washington, which along with the European Union maintains economic sanctions against Myanmar, has led efforts to force Yangon to ease human rights concerns and to release Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been under house arrest for most of the past 17 years.

Aung San Suu Kyi's opposition party won 1990 elections but was never allowed to rule. Its offices have been shut down by the junta, which has also locked up many other party members.