A constitutional referendum is underway in Burma despite appeals from the United Nations for a postponement because of the devastation caused by Cyclone Nargis a week ago. The polls has been delayed for two weeks in the worst affected areas. Earlier, the UN warned that hundreds of thousands of lives could be at risk unless Burma removed restrictions on foreign aid. The military government said it was not ready to allow in overseas aid experts. But the UN head of Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes told the BBC he believed there could be more flexibility after the referendum.

"The pressure on them, from, from everyone, from us of course, but also from many states around the world, including their friends in ASEAN and China and India, they are all saying please be more open because there is no time to lose to get the aid in and and I, I hope they will begin to listen."

Mr Holmes described as naive suggestions that the UN and the aid organizations could impose help on Burma without the agreement of the government. He said air-dropping supplies will be very much a last resort