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US sets condition for aid: unhindered access
(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-05-25 16:02

YANGON, Myanmar -- Myanmar must grant "unhindered access" to cyclone-devasated areas as a condition for receiving more American aid, a top US official said Sunday.


UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, left smiles as he rides out to inspect a Cyclone Nargis aid flight with ASEAN Secretary General Surin Pitsuwan during ceremonies Saturday, May 24, 2008, at Don Mueang airport in Bangkok, Thailand. Ban Ki-moon and others gathered for the inaugural flight of the new ASEAN-UN joint logistics staging area. [Agencies] 

Scot Marciel, the US deputy assistant secretary of state, has told an international donors conference in Myanmar that the United States is prepared to offer significant aid for cyclone survivors if the Burman leaders allows foreign experts to assess the affected areas.

He told the conference the US has already provided more than $20.5 million in aid.

Cyclone Nargis struck three weeks ago. Myanmar's ruling generals told the United Nations on Friday they were now willing to allow all foreign aid workers into the devastated Irrawaddy delta to assess the damage.