Asean takes aid role to help burma

He said entry permits have been granted to members of Asean's Emergency Rapid Assessment Team (ERAT), which is scheduled to fly into Rangoon today or tomorrow.

"This is a defining moment for Asean. We should rise to the challenge," said Surin, who is working around the clock to coordinate aid traffic by its members as well as those by the global community.

He was scheduled to meet senior officials from the World Bank tomorrow to discuss long-term reconstruction plans for that country.

He said Burma needs all the help it can get.

"There are indications Burma would like Asean to be the coordinating centre for the incoming foreign assistance," he said. Its secretariat is mapping a comprehensive plan to alleviate suffering there.

The plan includes action to tackle immediate problems as well as medium-term and long-term objectives such as reconstruction.

"Such a massive task requires a coalition of mercy to work with donors from many countries," he said. At the moment, an official from the Asean Secretariat is in Burma to evaluate the situation along with officials from the UN and global groups.

Singapore, Brunei, Malaysia and Indonesia have said they would send officials to join the ERAT team.

Surin said the team will prepare a report about the situation on the ground and present it to a special Asean ministerial meeting in Singapore next Monday.