May 12, 2008
BANGKOK - Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej will travel to Myanmar on Wednesday to press the junta to allow in foreign aid workers, according to Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama.
Samak who has been asked by the United States and Britain to act as a go-between with Myanmar was rebuffed by the junta.
Noppadon Pattama said Tuesday that a trip had now been arranged, but it is unclear if Samak will be able to meet the top leadership.
"The prime minister will go to Myanmar tomorrow (Wednesday) to ask Myanmar to open up for foreign aid and aid workers," Noppadon said.
"I am not sure at this moment who he will meet but we hope to meet Prime Minister Thein Sein and at the very least we do hope to meet the country's foreign minister," Noppadon told reporters.
UN chief Ban Ki-moon was among the foreign power-brokers who had asked Samak to act as a mediator with the regime, according to AFP.
Myanmar has said that it will accept foreign aid, but no foreign relief workers.
Official media in Myanmar has reported that nearly 32,000 people were killed when Cyclone Nargis slammed into the country on May 3, and the UN has warned that up to two million people are in desperate need of aid.
