Donors and Myanmar pledge to reconcile differences over aid

Yangon: The United Nations, donor countries and Myanmar pledged to cooperate and reconcile differences to accelerate the relief mission for the millions affected by the country's devastating cyclone.

Speaking at the one-day pledging conference, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said red tape was a “serious obstacle to organising effective aid and assistance operations".

However, he added that the government was moving to execute agreements made by the head of the junta on Friday.

The junta thanked and welcomed the 500 delegates from 50 countries for the aid the country had received since the May 2 cyclone.

"We would warmly welcome any assistance and aid which are provided with genuine goodwill from any country or organisation, provided that there are no strings attached nor politicisation involved," Prime Minister Thein Sein said.

Thirty per cent of the UN's $201 million emergency appeal had been contributed and 20 per cent was pledged, Ban said, urging the delegates to be “more generous''.

Myanmar has so far been hesitant in allowing foreign aid workers into the country, insisting that it is doing a good job in distributing aid on its own.