UN, which estimated Wednesday that as many as 2.5 million people have been severely affected by Cyclone Nargis, has suggested an emergency meeting of the donor nations, as Myanmar’s junta tried to lay down restrictions to the distribution of foreign aid. A UN official said that the restrictions set by Myanmar’s regime increase the risks of famine and the spreading of infectious diseases among the survivors. Thailand’s Prime Minister met with his Burmese counterpart and urged him to lift the restrictions and allow foreign aid workers to enter the country. The latter, however, told him that the junta is capable of dealing the problems on its own.
In New York, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who has allegedly voiced his disappointment over Myanmar’s slow response, urged donor nations to hold a summit to deal with the crisis. British ambassador to the UN John Sawers insinuated that the Summit will be something more that a simple donor nations Summit, terming it as an important international meeting.
