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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Thai premier in Burma aid talks | Thai premier in Burma aid talks |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej is heading to Burma to urge military rulers to allow aid agencies to help victims of the devastating cyclone. | Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej is heading to Burma to urge military rulers to allow aid agencies to help victims of the devastating cyclone. |
| Western nations want Mr Samak to persuade the junta to relax its stance on letting foreign experts in. | Western nations want Mr Samak to persuade the junta to relax its stance on letting foreign experts in. |
| The European Union's aid commissioner, Louis Michel, is also due in Burma today for talks on the same issue. | The European Union's aid commissioner, Louis Michel, is also due in Burma today for talks on the same issue. |
| Forecasters are warning that another tropical storm is forming in the sea near Burma's largest city, Rangoon. | |
| "The potential for the development of a significant tropical cyclone within the next 24 hours is good with the only limitation being temporary land interaction," the Hawaii-based Joint Typhoon Warning Center said on its website. | |
| On Tuesday, the UN warned more people would die in Burma without a greatly expanded humanitarian relief operation. | On Tuesday, the UN warned more people would die in Burma without a greatly expanded humanitarian relief operation. |
| It said it had only been able to reach 270,000 of the 1.5 million survivors, more than 10 days after the Cyclone Nargis struck. | It said it had only been able to reach 270,000 of the 1.5 million survivors, more than 10 days after the Cyclone Nargis struck. |
| 'Not necessary' | |
| The Thai prime minister's plane left a military airport in Bangkok loaded with relief supplies, including satellite phones to help the relief effort. | The Thai prime minister's plane left a military airport in Bangkok loaded with relief supplies, including satellite phones to help the relief effort. |
| Thai officials say he will meet Prime Minister Thein Sein, rather than top leader General Than Shwe. | Thai officials say he will meet Prime Minister Thein Sein, rather than top leader General Than Shwe. |
| The EU envoy, meanwhile, said he would appeal to Burmese leaders "to be more open-minded and more understanding" during his three-day visit to the country. | The EU envoy, meanwhile, said he would appeal to Burmese leaders "to be more open-minded and more understanding" during his three-day visit to the country. |
| But he told the French news agency AFP that his chances of success were "slight". | But he told the French news agency AFP that his chances of success were "slight". |
| On Tuesday, a senior Burmese official reiterated the leadership's stance, insisting that aid was welcome but "skilful humanitarian workers are not necessary". | On Tuesday, a senior Burmese official reiterated the leadership's stance, insisting that aid was welcome but "skilful humanitarian workers are not necessary". |
| The official death toll from Cyclone Nargis has now reached 34,273, according to Burmese state television, but observers fear the final count will be much higher. A further 27,838 people are known to be missing. | The official death toll from Cyclone Nargis has now reached 34,273, according to Burmese state television, but observers fear the final count will be much higher. A further 27,838 people are known to be missing. |
| 'Sandblasted' | |
| A BBC correspondent inside Burma says aid delivery is haphazard and private citizens have begun to distribute water and cakes from the backs of their cars rather than waiting for the soldiers to help. | A BBC correspondent inside Burma says aid delivery is haphazard and private citizens have begun to distribute water and cakes from the backs of their cars rather than waiting for the soldiers to help. |
| An aid worker's account of conditions in Burma's Delta region (12 May) | |
| Aid agencies say much of the aid is not reaching those who need it because the junta does not have the organisation to transport it. | Aid agencies say much of the aid is not reaching those who need it because the junta does not have the organisation to transport it. |
| They say trucks, boats and helicopters are needed - and more personnel. | They say trucks, boats and helicopters are needed - and more personnel. |
| On Tuesday, the delegation head for the Red Cross, Bridget Gardner, returned from a two-day assessment trip to worst-hit parts of the Irrawaddy Delta. | On Tuesday, the delegation head for the Red Cross, Bridget Gardner, returned from a two-day assessment trip to worst-hit parts of the Irrawaddy Delta. |
| "The town of Labutta is unrecognizable," she said in a statement. "I have been there before, and now - with the extent of the damage and the crowds of displaced people - it is a different place." | "The town of Labutta is unrecognizable," she said in a statement. "I have been there before, and now - with the extent of the damage and the crowds of displaced people - it is a different place." |
| Getting shelter and medical aid to the victims was vital, she said. | Getting shelter and medical aid to the victims was vital, she said. |
| "During the cyclone, many people held onto trees to avoid being blown away. At the same time they were almost "sand blasted" by dirt and saltwater," she said. | "During the cyclone, many people held onto trees to avoid being blown away. At the same time they were almost "sand blasted" by dirt and saltwater," she said. |
| "(Many) lost the top layer of their skin and it's important that these injuries are treated before infections can set in." | "(Many) lost the top layer of their skin and it's important that these injuries are treated before infections can set in." |
| 'Aid corridor' | 'Aid corridor' |
| In Geneva, a spokeswoman for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warned that quick work was needed "to avoid a second disaster or maybe a third disaster". | In Geneva, a spokeswoman for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warned that quick work was needed "to avoid a second disaster or maybe a third disaster". |
| EXTENT OF THE DEVASTATION See map and satellite imagesResilience amid Burma catastropheUrgent EU mission | |
| "We need a kind of air bridge or sea bridge, and huge means as... we did during the [2004 Asian] tsunami. It's the same kind of logistical operation. That's why it's urgently needed that we act now," she added. | "We need a kind of air bridge or sea bridge, and huge means as... we did during the [2004 Asian] tsunami. It's the same kind of logistical operation. That's why it's urgently needed that we act now," she added. |
| World leaders have stepped up their rhetoric against the Burmese generals in recent days. | World leaders have stepped up their rhetoric against the Burmese generals in recent days. |
| UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed "immense frustration" at what he called their "unacceptably slow" response, while US President George W Bush described them as either "isolated or callous". | UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed "immense frustration" at what he called their "unacceptably slow" response, while US President George W Bush described them as either "isolated or callous". |
| European nations have meanwhile called for the UN principle of "responsibility to protect" to be applied, allowing aid deliveries without Burma's consent. | European nations have meanwhile called for the UN principle of "responsibility to protect" to be applied, allowing aid deliveries without Burma's consent. |
| UN member states acknowledged in 2005 a collective "responsibility to protect" people from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity. | UN member states acknowledged in 2005 a collective "responsibility to protect" people from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity. |
| France, Germany and the UK said they would make the proposal to the UN Security Council, but acknowledged they did not have unanimous support from the EU, French Human Rights Minister Rama Yade told reporters in Brussels. | France, Germany and the UK said they would make the proposal to the UN Security Council, but acknowledged they did not have unanimous support from the EU, French Human Rights Minister Rama Yade told reporters in Brussels. |
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| Are you in Burma, or do you have friends and family there? Have you - or they - been affected by the cyclone? Send your comments and pictures using the post form below. | Are you in Burma, or do you have friends and family there? Have you - or they - been affected by the cyclone? Send your comments and pictures using the post form below. |
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