UNITED NATIONS - The United Nations Security Council will meet Tuesday to discuss a Myanmar court decision to have democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi serve another 18 months of house arrest.

A statement from Britain's UN Ambassador John Sawers, who chairs the 15-member body this month, said it would hold consultations at 3 pm (1900 GMT) to take up the court's verdict, which has triggered worldwide condemnation.

A Western diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the council meeting was requested by France.

The Myanmar court convicted the 64-year-old opposition leader at the end of a marathon trial for breaching the terms of her detention by the ruling military junta, following a bizarre incident in which an American man swam uninvited to her home.

Judges sentenced Suu Kyi to three years of hard labor and imprisonment, but military ruler Than Shwe signed a special order commuting the sentence and ordering her to serve out a year-and-a-half under house arrest.

Earlier, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said in a statement that he was "deeply disappointed" by the verdict and demanded Suu Kyi's unconditional release.

Ban called on Myanmar's ruling generals "to immediately and unconditionally release Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and to engage with her without delay as an essential partner in the process of national dialogue and reconciliation.

"Unless she and all other political prisoners in Myanmar are released and allowed to participate in free and fair elections, the credibility of the political process will remain in doubt," he added.