The BBC World Service has reportedly been asked to prepare itself for cuts, which may force it to shut its services from several countries, including Burma.

BBC chiefs have been engaged in talks with the Foreign Office, which funds the World Service through an annual 272 million pound grant, over future budgets.

The Foreign Office is thought to have told executives at the BBC to prepare for a cut of up to 25 per cent from April next year.

A final decision has not been reached, however, with talks expected to continue for about another six weeks.

The BBC service in Burma and Russia are thought to be those under threat.

According to the Guardian Burma had been identified because it was "expensive" and "had few listeners," reports the Telegraph.

A spokesman for the World Service said: "Like a publicly funded bodies, we have been asked to consider the likely impact of significant funding cuts and applying them to a range of scenarios." (ANI)