The US intensified diplomatic efforts on Monday to persuade Burma’s ruling junta to accept international offers of help in tackling the country’s humanitarian crisis. Washington entered into some of the most high-level discussions that it has conducted with Burmese officials in decades.

But although a US military flight landed in Burma carrying provisions for the survivors of cyclone Nargis, the flow of emergency supplies remained at a trickle for the 1.5m people facing hunger and disease in the ravaged Irrawaddy delta.