EU parliament head urges Myanmar to postpone vote

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The president of the European Parliament urged Myanmar's military junta on Wednesday to further postpone a controversial constitutional referendum after a cyclone killed more than 22,500 people.

Hans-Gert Poettering also called on the Myanmar military to ease access for international humanitarian aid groups.

"The military junta hasn't managed as far as we can see to come to grips with the situation. There were no preventative measures in place, nor were the population given support in good time," Poettering said in a statement to parliament.

Myanmar's state TV said the May 10 referendum -- part of the army's much-criticized "roadmap to democracy," -- would be postponed to May 24 in the worst-hit areas of Yangon and the delta but would proceed as planned in the rest of the Southeast Asian nation.

Poettering said Myanmar's announcement was welcome, but added:

"We need this postponement to be extended to the whole country so that people can concentrate on emergency aid. Rapid response is needed -- the government needs to demonstrate that it is looking after its own people."

He noted that the authorities had said they would welcome international support.

"We should see that as a positive gesture and we very much hope that the government will make sure that it facilitates access of humanitarian bodies," he said.

Governments and aid agencies around the world have shown eagerness to help Myanmar cope with the disaster but experts say the military must overcome its distrust of the outside world and open up to a full-scale international relief operation.

France has suggested invoking a U.N. "responsibility to protect" clause and delivering aid directly to Myanmar without waiting for approval from the military in Yangon.

The United Nations recognized in 2005 the concept of "responsibility to protect" civilians when their governments could or would not do it, even if this meant intervention that violated national sovereignty.

Thailand, China, India and Indonesia have been flying in supplies but relief workers of the United Nations, which has a presence in the diplomatically isolated country, were still waiting for visas five days after Cyclone Nargis struck.

Political analysts and critics of 46 years of military rule in Myanmar say the cyclone may have long-term implications for the junta, which is even more feared and resented since last September's bloody crackdown on Buddhist monk-led protests.

(Reporting by David Brunnstrom; editing by Sami Aboudi)