In letters today to the current holder of the European Union presidency, Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Socrates, and United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the PM called for a warning to Rangoon of tougher sanctions if there is a crackdown.

He told Mr Socrates:“I would strongly support a presidency initiative to warn the Burmese government that we are watching their behaviour and that the EU will impose tougher EU sanctions if they make the wrong choices.

“And in his letter to Mr Ban, Mr Brown said:“We need concerted international action, including the UN, to discourage violence. We need to stand together.”The PM said he would support an urgent visit to Burma by UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari, as well as discussions at the UN Security Council.

The “unfolding human tragedy” inBurma requires “immediate international action”, he added.Calling the widespread demonstrations “unprecedented”, he said that the Burmese regime had failed to promote “a genuine process of political reconciliation”.