UNITED NATIONS—U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged Burma's military government Friday to allow aid and humanitarian workers into the cyclone-hit country "without hindrance," saying the survival of its people was at stake.
Ban spokeswoman Marie Okabe told reporters at U.N. headquarters that the secretary-general, who is in Atlanta on a visit, had "warned that inaction could be deadly."
Ban has been trying to contact Burma's senior general, Than Shwe, to persuade him to remove restrictions on aid workers. But his attempts have been unsuccessful. (The ruling military junta has renamed Burma "Myanmar.")
"I have been trying to speak directly to the leadership of Burma," Ban told reporters during a visit to the Carter Center in Atlanta.
"Regrettably I have not been able to contact them. I am still trying to talk with them as well as with leaders in neighboring countries."
Okabe said aid workers had still not reached some areas devastated by Cyclone Nargis last Saturday.
"The United Nations has personnel on the ground but their capacity is stretched to the limit," she said,
Okabe said the U.N. World Food Program was sending in two aid flights on Saturday while discussions continue with the military junta on how the aid will be distributed.
The WFP had said earlier on Friday that it was suspending flights after authorities seized food supplies the agency sent in to Yangon airport.
U.S. Aircraft Approved For Burma Aid Mission, U.S. Reports
WASHINGTON—Authorities in Burma have given approval for a U.S. military aircraft carrying relief supplies to land in the country on Monday, the White House said on Friday.
The White House announced the approval at a news briefing. A spokesman said, however, that Burma had not approved visas for a team of U.S. disaster assistance team now in Bangkok.
The Pentagon said it hoped approval for the flight would lead to more U.S. aid for Burma, formerly known as Burma.
"We hope that this is the beginning of broader support between the United States and Burma to help the Burmese people," said Marine Maj. Stuart Upton, a Pentagon spokesman.
The Pentagon also sought to reassure Burma's military that any U.S. military presence in the country would be temporary.
"We will come, provide assistance and then leave, just like in Bangladesh, Indonesia and other places where we have provided assistance," Upton said.
White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe, speaking at a briefing in Crawford, Texas, confirmed one flight had been approved to land. "One flight is better than no flights," he said.
Asked whether a U.S. disaster assistance team from Bangkok would get to go into Burma with aid, Johndroe said: "As of right now visas for them have not been approved. As I've said we're going to continue to work with the government of Burma to allow additional access for not only U.S. assistance, but also assistance from NGOs and other countries."
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