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India urges Myanmar to accept international aid
May 12, 2008: (PTI) New Delhi: Acting on Washington's request, India on Monday impressed upon cyclone-hit Myanmar to accept international relief, to which Yangon expressed readiness.
Three days after Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice called him up to persuade Yangon to accept US aid, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee spoke to his Myanmarese counterpart U Nyan Win urging him to receive international relief.
Mukherjee, who is Dubai on a two-day visit, "urged Myanmar to accept international relief supplies to supplement their efforts," External Affairs Ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna said here.
Myanmar, where over one lakh people have reportedly died, has "conveyed their readiness to accept international relief and medical supplies," Sarna added.
The comments came even as the UN pleaded with Myanmar's military rulers to cooperate with the international community in helping upto two million cyclone victims facing disease and starvation.
On India's part, Mukherjee told Win that New Delhi was ready to assist Myanmar in whatever way it could in both the relief and rehabilitation efforts.
The Myanmarese Foreign Minister expressed gratitude for the "prompt and generous assistance" of India, Sarna said.