UN accepts offer to use Don Mueang

The United Nations had accepted Thailand's offer to use Don Mueang airport as the staging centre for global relief to cyclone-hit Burma, the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said yesterday.

Ban stopped over in Bangkok on his way to visit the devastated area to expedite arrangements for facilitating the free movement of international aid workers.

He discussed the offer with Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama upon his arrival yesterday. The facility for cargo stock at the airport is ready for service, Noppadon said.

The first flight of the UN World Food Programme (WPF) should depart Don Mueang tomorrow.

The UN has established its logistics hub in Thailand to ship assistance to Burma where a storm left more than 134,000 people dead and missing since May 2-3.

The flow of aid to Burma has been too slow as the junta was reluctant to receive international aid workers, notably from Western countries. Nearly three weeks passed before international relief could reach 25 per cent of people in need, Ban said.

"I intend to do all I can to reinforce activities in coordination with Burma authorities and the international aid agency," he said. The junta had allowed WFP to have nine helicopters operating in the country to ship aid to affected areas.

Ban plans to tour devastated areas in the Irrawaddy Delta today and meet with junta leader Than Shwe in the capital Naypyidaw tomorrow.

Than Shwe earlier turned down Ban's telephone calls and letters seeking access for international aid workers.

Ban was scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej on a return trip before flying to Rangoon for the Asean-UN pledging conference on Sunday.

The number of participants was unclear but UN under-secretary John Holmes said major donor countries were expected to attend.

Asean members would send their respective foreign ministers to the meeting.

The conference aims to mobilise assistance and resources for medium- and longer-term rehabilitation, Ban said.

Burma's Foreign Minister Nyan Win told Asean officials at an emergency meeting in Singapore on May 19 that his country needed US$11.7 billion (Bt373 billion) for rehabilitation and reconstruction.