The Burmese home affairs minister, Tin Hlaing, has called on the international community to provide more funds for projects to encourage opium poppy farmers to grow alternative crops.

Speaking on the second day of the United Nations anti-drugs summit in New York, Mr Tin said Burma, which is one of the main sources of opium, was committed to eradicating illegal drugs production, but the international community had a moral responsibility to help.

A similar message was delivered by the President Ernesto Samper of Colombia, which is among the biggest sources of cocaine.

Correspondents say the UN has proposed programmes to encourage farmers in both Burma and Afghanistan to switch from opium poppies to other crops, but no pledges of funding have been secured at the summit.