MYANMAR’S government will go ahead with Saturday’s referendum on a new constitution despite a massive storm, which killed at least 15,000 people and left tens of thousands homeless, state media reported.

“The government of Myanmar has announced that a referendum for the draft constitution will be held on 10 May 2008 and that multi-party democracy general elections will be held in 2010 in accordance with a new constitution,” the New Light of Myanmar newspaper said yesterday.

“The referendum is going to take place in a few days’ time and the entire people of the country are eagerly looking forward to that,” it said.

The paper said the authorities were “surprised” by a U.N. Security Council statement urging them to ensure an “inclusive and credible” political process.

“The government of the Union of Myanmar is much surprised by the U.N. Security Council statement on 2 May 2008 even though the situation in Myanmar does not threaten regional as well as international peace and security,” the newspaper said.(SD-Agencies)