Surin says aid workers slowly getting access

Nearly a month after Cyclone Nargis smashed into Burma and despite complaints from the international community, the junta is still reluctant to accept large-scale international relief efforts for the fear of losing the power to control them.

Many international organisations said their personnel were still being denied visas by the Burmese authorities.

After pressure and economic pledges from the international community at the United Nations-Asean conference in Rangoon on Sunday, the junta showed some flexibility, Surin said.

The ruling junta also assured UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon last week that all international aid agencies would be allowed in to help.

"Visa applications are now approved within two days, rather than three weeks. That represents a sense of flexibility. I don't mean all of you can go in but I mean at least there is a reciprocal sense of urgency," Surin told a press briefing.

After Sunday's conference, the UN, Asean and the Burmese authorities set up a nine-member tripartite core group to implement relief and rehabilitation in Burma. They have an office on the ground to work around the clock seven days a week, Surin said.

The Burmese authorities promised to commission officials who are senior enough to join the core group to pave way and clear all obstacles on the ground.

The junta said it needed US$10.7 billion (around Bt345 billion) for rehabilitation and reconstruction but donor countries have refused to dig deeper into their pockets since they have doubts over the assessment.

Donor countries are ready to give and will give more but only if access is guaranteed and only if the core group can produce real achievements in the next few days - not weeks or months, Surin said.