What the world has to say

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has advised the Burmese authorities to "exercise restraint" in their conduct of pro-democracy protest.

Brown called for "immediate international action" to end a threatened armed forces crackdown on the demonstrations.

Burma's ally, China, has said “it's extremely concerned by the situation there and called on all parties to exercise restraint.”

Singapore, the current chairman of the East Asian grouping, ASEAN, of which Burma is a member called on the military government in Rangoon to show awareness of the effect of its actions on the rest of the organisation.

Portugal, which currently holds the rotating presidency of the European Union said, “EU experts had been asked to examine options for a European response to the crisis in Burma, including more possible sanctions.”