THAILAND/MYANMAR: U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon returns to Thailand after breakthrough visit to Myanmar

Record ID: 561092

  • Title: THAILAND/MYANMAR: U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon returns to Thailand after breakthrough visit to Myanmar
  • Date: 24th May 2008
  • Summary: (BN12) BANGKOK, THAILAND (MAY 23, 2008) (REUTERS) UNITED NATIONS AND THAILAND OFFICIALS WAITING FOR UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON ARRIVAL BUS ARRIVING BAN SHAKING HANDS WITH THAI TOURISM AND SPORTS MINISTER WEERASAK KOHSURAT BAN WALKING TO VIP ROOM UNITED NATIONS OFFICIALS TALKING BAN IN ELEVATOR UNITED NATIONS FLAG CAR LEAVING
  • Embargoed: 8th June 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: International Relations,Disasters / Accidents / Natural catastrophes
  • Reuters ID: LVA7DAF4ZQX49DRU9L5EI96JC0JV
  • Story Text: U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon arrives in Bangkok after a two-day visit to Myanmar on a mission to allow a more comprehensive international aid effort for 2.4 million cyclone victims.
    U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon arrived in Thailand on Friday (May 23) after spending his 2-days visit in Myanmar to help survivors left displaced by the Cyclone Nargis.
    The U.N. chief was on a mission to press Myanmar's military government to accept more aid effort for 2.4 million left destitute by the storm that struck three weeks ago.
    Ban denied to talk to media at Bangkok's international airport but he told reporters before leaving Yangon that Senior General Than Shwe had agreed to allow international aid workers into the affected areas, regardless of nationality.
    Than Shwe would also allow the airport in Yangon to be used as a logistical hub for international aid, Ban added.
    The junta has accepted relief flights into Yangon from many countries, including the United States, its fiercest critic. But it rejected offers of French and American ships delivering aid.
    Disaster experts say that unless the generals open their doors thousands more people in the Irrawaddy Delta could die of hunger and disease, adding to the nearly 134,000 reported killed or missing in Cyclone Nargis.
    Ban will attend a joint U.N. and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) donor-pledging conference in Yangon on Sunday. However, ASEAN Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan said countries would be reluctant to commit money until they are allowed in to assess the damage for themselves.
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