Myanmar

Ban Ki-moon to meet junta leader Thursday

Article published on the 2008-05-21 Latest update 2008-05-21 16:45 TU

Cyclone victims in a relief camp
(Photo: AFP)

After arriving in Thailand on his way to Myanmar today, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said that he will meet the head of the military government, Than Shwe, tomorrow. With at least 133,000 people dead or missing after this month's Cyclone Nargis, Ban repeated a UN claim that only 25 per cent of those in need have received international aid.

Than Shwe has refused to accept Ban's phone-calls since the 2-3 May cyclone but the UN chief says that he expects to see the Senior General after his arrival in Myanmar tomorrow.

The opposition National League for Democracy says that relief work has not "been performed competently" and called on Ban to "try his utmost to assist the people of Burma [Myanmar]".

Ban says that the government has accepted the use of UN helicopters in remote areas and that he wants a logistics hub inside the country. 

The military régime has accepted that the Association of South-East Asian Nations (Asean) will coordinate foreign aid and the ten-nation bloc's Secretary-General, Surin Pitsuwan, met Myanmar Prime Minister Thein Sein today to explain how the mechanism will work.

The English-language state-run newspaper the New Light of Myanmar said aid from US ships and helicopters will not be accepted, because of unspecified "strings attached".

Washington has sharply criticised the government and its handling of the crisis, but has declared that its aid is unconditional.