By NNN-VNA,
Hanoi : Myanmar’s government leaders have agreed to accept an immediate dispatch of medical teams from all ASEAN countries, the Special ASEAN Foreign Minister Meeting Chairman said in a statement.
The agreement was reached at the ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting held in Singapore on May 19, which gathered all 10 ASEAN foreign ministers to discuss how the group could assist Myanmar in the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis.
According to the statement, the Foreign Ministers agreed to establish an ASEAN-led coordinating mechanism to facilitate the effective distribution and use of international community assistance, including the speedy and effective deployment of relief workers, especially health and medical personnel.
ASEAN has sent an emergency rapid assessment team to Myanmar and is ready to provide additional support, the statement said, adding that Myanmar should allow more international relief workers into the stricken areas, as the need is most urgent given the unprecedented scale of the disaster.
The ministers also agreed to establish a task force, to be headed by ASEAN Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan, to work closely with the United Nations as well as a central coordinating body to be set up by Myanmar , to realise the ASEAN-led mechanism, the statement said.
Additionally, Myanmar is also prepared to accept the expertise of international and regional agencies to help in its rehabilitation efforts, it said.
ASEAN will work with the UN to hold an ASEAN-UN International Pledging Conference, to be held in Yangon on May 25, 2008.