U.N. chief to Myanmar: focus on saving lives

By Aung Hla Tun

YANGON (Reuters) - U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon began a mission on Wednesday for Myanmar's cyclone victims, saying "our focus now is on saving lives", as the military government gave approval for foreign helicopters to distribute aid.

The U.N. Secretary-General has said relief workers had so far been able to reach only a quarter of those in need among an estimated 2.4 million people made destitute by the May 2 storm and sea surge that left nearly 134,000 dead or missing.

"We must do our utmost for the people of Myanmar," Ban said when he arrived in the Thai capital, Bangkok, before travelling to Myanmar on Thursday. "Aid in Myanmar should not be politicised. Our focus now is on saving lives."

The United Nations and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), of which Myanmar is a member, are to convene a donors' pledging conference in Yangon on Sunday.

Ban said he would meet the military government's Senior General Than Shwe on Friday.

Than Shwe, who took two weeks after the disaster to meet victims and see the destruction for himself, had declined to take Ban's phone calls earlier in the relief effort.

Diplomats say the general's appearances in public in recent days could be a sign the top brass finally realise the enormity of the destruction and rebuilding from one of the worst cyclones to hit Asia.

The U.N.'s World Food Programme (WFP) said the first of nine helicopters granted permission to airlift supplies into the delta would arrive in Yangon on Thursday from Malaysia.