South-east Asian states moved to take the lead in the Burma relief effort on Tuesday after China, the military regime’s closest ally, rebuffed western attempts to raise the plight of 1.5m victims of cyclone Nargis at the United Nations Security Council.

With Burmese restrictions continuing to hamper UN-led aid efforts 12 days after the storm struck, the Association of South-East Asian Nations (Asean), of which Burma is a member, offered to head a “mercy coalition” to respond to the growing humanitarian crisis.