UNITED NATIONS — Underscoring the importance of human rights, President Bush intends to highlight in his address to the U.N. General Assembly today an announcement of a new, unspecified set of sanctions against the military rulers of Burma, where dissidents say the situation could deteriorate into violence.

Mr. Bush plans to announce “sanctions directed at key members of the regime” in Burma “and those that provide financial support to them,” National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley told reporters traveling with the president to New York. The sanctions will include “a visa ban to key individuals associated with the negative activities of the regime, including their families.”

Mr. Bush’s speech will take place at a critical moment for the quiet but persistent rebellion in Burma, where Buddhist monks have been leading a nonviolent protest movement against the repressive junta. Citing sources in Rangoon, the British arm of the opposition group Burma Campaign asserted yesterday that the military rulers intend to instruct saboteurs to mingle with demonstrators and start rioting.

“Soldiers have been ordered to shave their heads in possible preparation for infiltrating peaceful demonstrations,” Burma Campaign UK said in a statement. “They would start rioting or attacking police, providing the regime with a pretext for a brutal crackdown on protesters.” The group’s sources say “the regime has ordered 3,000 monk robes from a factory in Rangoon” and that “soldiers from Light Battalion 77 in Rangoon have been given the order.”

First lady Laura Bush recently made a call to Secretary-General Ban to express her disappointment at a mild statement the United Nations issued as street protests erupted last month after the government announced a price hike.

Yesterday, Mr. Ban commended the “peaceful approach the demonstrators are using to press their interests” in Burma. He called on the regime “to continue to exercise restraint” and to “seize this opportunity to engage without delay in dialogue with all the relevant parties.” Through his envoy to Burma, Ibrahim Gambari, and his office Mr. Ban added that he intended to help a process “with a view to promoting national reconciliation, the restoration of democracy, and full respect for human rights” in Burma.

Facing strong opposition by some members of the U.N. Security Council, Washington has no current plans to attempt to push sanctions through the United Nations.

Instead, the sanctions the adviser referred to are intended as a unilateral American move designed to “force the regime into a change,” Mr. Hadley said.

Mr. Hadley declined to specify which financial sanctions would be used, citing the need for an element of “surprise” and to ensure that those targeted would not “hide their assets before the sanctions come into force.”