| Aid to Myanmar priority, finger-pointing can wait, Australian foreign minister says |
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| Written by AP | |
| Tuesday, 06 May 2008 00:00 | |
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By MIN LEE, Associated Press Writer HONG KONG - The international community should focus on providing humanitarian aid to Myanmar instead of criticizing the ruling junta's handling of its cyclone crisis, Australia's foreign minister said Tuesday. Tropical Cyclone Nargis hit the Southeast Asian country early Saturday with winds of up to 195 kilometers per hour (120 mph). Myanmar's official media said Tuesday that more than 10,000 people were killed. Hundreds of thousands of people were left homeless. Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith told reporters after a speech in Hong Kong on Tuesday that Australia is "ready, willing and able" to offer humanitarian assistance to Myanmar, and will most likely start with a financial donation. He didn't give an amount. Smith said he hopes Myanmar's military government will be open to on-the-ground assessments by foreign delegations of what humanitarian aid it needs. First lady Laura Bush on Monday said the United States stands ready to help Myanmar on the condition that a U.S. disaster response team is allowed into the country. She also rebuked the junta for not warning citizens about the storm. Smith said now is not the time for criticism. "I just don't think we're in a position to make that sort of judgment now given the difficulties of communication," Smith said when asked if Myanmar's government was slow to warn its citizens. "The priority now is rendering assistance to thousands of displaced people who urgently need our assistance." The country's military regime, which has spurned the international community for decades, has made a rare appeal for urgent assistance from the international community in wake of the disaster. The European Union said it was providing US$3 million (�2 million) in urgent humanitarian aid for cyclone victims. |
