Donor nations urged Burma to live up to its commitment to admit all foreign relief workers and allow them to carry out an independent assessment of the damage caused by Cyclone Nargis.

It's been three weeks since the cyclone devastated the Irrawaddy delta, the country's main rice-growing region, but the United Nations said Sunday that three-quarters of the neediest survivors have yet to receive any help.

The cyclone is believed to have affected about 2.5 million people. The death toll is estimated to be 78,000, with another 56,000 missing. Some believe it is much higher.

However, Burma's ruling military junta told the donors' conference in Rangoon, Burma that the relief phase of the disaster is already over. It played a video for the conference that left the impression everything was under control.

It put an $11-billion price tag on long-term rebuilding efforts, which left some diplomats perplexed as to how Burma arrived at that figure.

The UN has launched an emergency appeal for $201 million. So far it has received $50 million and another $42.5 million in pledges.

Prime Minister Thein Sein thanked the 500 delegates from more than 50 countries for the help given so far.

More would be welcome if it came from "genuine goodwill" and "provided that there are no strings attached nor politicization involved," he said.

China, an ally of the junta, and some other Asian countries told other nations that aid and politics must be kept separate.

Although Senior Gen. Than Shwe, the junta's leader, told United Nations secretary general Ban Ki-moon that all aid workers would be allowed in, he didn't hold out much hope that foreign warships carrying aid would be allowed to dock.

Only non-military vessels would be allowed into Burma's waters, Thein Sein said.

The conference was organized by the UN and the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Burma is an ASEAN member.

ASEAN secretary general Surin Pitsuwan, calling it a "Coalition of Mercy," said he believed donors would show their goodwill.

But he added that they would be unlikely to honour pledges if the junta failed to follow through on its promises for international access.

Anthea Spinks -- a humanitarian adviser with World Vision in Bangkok, Thailand -- told Newsnet that even with more access, daunting challenges remain in helping people.

Simply getting into the delta is difficult, she said.

"We're very concerned that the majority of the population receive appropriate and timely assistance," she said.

With files from The Associated Press