U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said here Friday evening that Myanmar agreed to receive aid workers from all countries indiscriminately to help in cyclone relief and rehabilitation efforts.
Ban made the remarks at a press conference after he flew back from Nay Pyi Taw, where he met with Myanmar's top leader Senior- General Than Shwe earlier in the day.
He said Myanmar extremely needs more emergency international assistance, and Myanmar leaders told him that the country will fully cooperate with the United Nations.
The U.N. chief said he had good discussions with Than Shwe over Myanmar's post-cyclone relief efforts.
Ban said the Myanmar leader has agreed to allow aid workers of any nationality in cyclone-affected areas and the aid supplies be delivered to the country by commercial vessels, small boats and aircraft as well as the use of Yangon International Airport as a logistical hub for distributing the aid supplies.
Myanmar will grant visa speedily to the international aid workers, Ban said, adding that nine WFP (World Food Program) helicopters have also been allowed to ferry emergency relief supplies to cyclone victims stranded in largely inaccessible disaster-hit areas.
The press conference was held hours before the U.N. chief wound up his two-day visit to Myanmar which took him to two cyclone- devastated areas in the Ayeyawaddy delta.
Ban arrived here on Thursday morning on a visit to reinforce post-cyclone relief and rehabilitation efforts and partnership between Myanmar and the international community including the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and key neighboring countries.
During his stay, Ban also met with Myanmar Prime Minister General Thein Sein, Foreign Minister U Nyan Win and Minister of National Planning and Economic and Development U Soe Tha in Yangon.
Ban left Yangon for Bangkok where he will meet Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundarvej and Foreign Minister Noppadon Saturday. He then will fly back to Yangon on Sunday to attend the International Pledging Conference, co-organized by the ASEAN and the U.N. to raise fund for cyclone-affected victims.
(Xinhua News Agency May 24, 2008)