YANGON, Myanmar — Donor nations said Sunday that they were ready to provide Myanmar with more than $100 million to help it recover from Cyclone Nargis, but they warned the ruling junta they will not fully open their wallets until they have access to the hardest-hit areas.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, speaking to The Associated Press after a one-day meeting of 51 donor nations, said he thought a turning point had been reached in getting Myanmar’s isolationist junta to allow foreign aid workers unhindered entry into the devastated Irrawaddy delta.
“I’m cautiously optimistic that this could be a turning point for Myanmar to be more flexible, more practical, and face the reality as it is on the ground,” Ban said.
But Myanmar’s leaders — and potential donors — continued to take a guarded tone.
Myanmar’s prime minister, Lt. Gen. Thein Sein, said international aid “with no strings attached” was welcome. But he hedged on the sensitive issue of direct access, saying only civilian vessels could take part in the aid operation and they would have to go through Yangon.
“Relief supplies can be transported by land, air or sea,” he said. “But if relief supplies have to be transported by water, civilian vessels can come in through Yangon port.”
That seemed to nix plans for U.S., British and French warships loaded with humanitarian supplies to join in the relief operation. Ships have been off Myanmar’s coast for more than a week.
France said Sunday that it would unload the 1,000 tons of aid on its ship in Phuket, Thailand. The aid, which amounts to 30 planeloads of supplies, would be taken to Myanmar by the World Food Program and distributed by nongovernmental organizations.
The French government said it is “particularly shocked” by the refusal to accept aid directly but believes in the “responsibility to protect” the needy.
Myanmar’s leaders have virtually barred foreign aid workers and international agencies from the delta because they fear a large influx of foreigners could lead to political interference in their internal affairs.
The junta is also hesitant to have its people see aid arriving directly from countries like the United States, which it has long treated as a hostile power seeking to invade or colonize the country.
Official estimates put the death toll from the May 2 cyclone at about 78,000, with another 56,000 missing. Myanmar has estimated damage at $11 billion.
