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Breakthrough as Burma lets in all aid - UN

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BURMA has agreed to allow "all aid workers`` to stage a relief effort for cyclone survivors, UN chief Ban Ki-moon said after meeting junta leader Than Shwe.

Mr Ban said: "He has agreed to allow all aid workers regardless of nationalities.``

Asked if the agreement marked a breakthrough, Mr Ban said: "I think so.``

"I had a very good meeting with the senior general and particularly on these aid workers,`` he said.

"He`s taken quite a flexible position on this matter.``

Than Shwe also agreed to allow Rangoon airport to be used as an international hub for aid distribution, Mr Ban said.

Than Shwe, who refused to take Mr Ban`s phone calls after Cyclone Nargis hit three weeks ago, had previously refused to allow foreign aid workers to stage a full-scale relief effort after the storm left 133,000 dead or missing.

Mr Ban is the most senior foreign leader to visit the new capital, where Than Shwe abruptly relocated the entire government in late 2005.

The US Government`s relief arm today welcomed the news, with a spokeswoman saying it was "very promising" for cyclone survivors.

Rebecca Gustafson, a USAID media officer, said they were looking into the details of the statement.

"We`ve been working to try and get aid to the people as quickly as we can and it would be great news if we could get international relief workers on the ground as well," she said.

"It sounds very promising and we hope that it turns out that we can actually get the DART (Disaster Assistance Response Team) in as soon as possible to assist, so that we can get aid to the people as rapidly as possible.

"Obviously we have a vast capacity within the US Government to assure that aid gets to people as quickly as possible, and we want to make sure we can help do that with the international community," she said.

Ms Gustafson said the four US navy ships loaded with supplies were still waiting off the coast of Burma, ready to rush aid to about two million survivors if they got the green light from the junta.

The United States, a fierce critic of Burma`s military regime, has been flying supplies into Rangoon airport since May 12, and the junta recently gave permission for a US government relief expert to enter the cyclone-hit areas.

The US has said that all its aid to the country is unconditional.

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