Prime Minister Thein Sein,
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon,
Distinguished delegates,
Ladies and gentlemen,
1 We are gathered today to help a member of the international community and a member of the ASEAN family in its hour of dire need. On 2 May, the deadliest natural disaster in Myanmar's history, Cyclone Nargis, caused catastrophic destruction to the Ayeyawaddy Delta. It left at least 77,000 people dead and 55,000 missing. At least 2 million people need help, many of whom - maybe more than half - have still not been reached. There is a great urgency to move fast.
2 On behalf of the governments and peoples of ASEAN, I would like to express our deepest sympathy to the people of Myanmar. Our immediate task here at this Conference is to help those who survived. They need food, shelter and medical attention. Without more helicopters, road vehicles and boats, many will die in the coming days and weeks. In the months ahead, they will need seeds, fertilisers, farm machines, houses, schools and many other things in order to rebuild their lives. As fellow human beings, we have a moral, collective responsibility to help them. Many helping hands can lighten the burden which the government and people of Myanmar have to bear.
3 On Monday early this week, on the day Buddhists around the world celebrate the birth, enlightenment and passing away of the Buddha, ASEAN Foreign Ministers met at a special meeting in Singapore to discuss how we could facilitate the flow of international aid to Myanmar. We agreed that an ASEAN-led coordinating mechanism should be set up for this purpose because of the lack of understanding and trust between the Myanmar government on one side, and some foreign countries and external agencies on the other. This mechanism would work closely with the UN and with international and regional agencies. The ASEAN meeting was an important step forward, reflecting an important decision by the Myanmar government to work with the international community. The ASEAN Foreign Ministers tasked Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan to lead an ASEAN Task Force that would work with the United Nations and Myanmar's central coordinating body to facilitate the effective distribution and utilisation of assistance from the international community. As Chair of ASEAN, I ask for the full support of the Myanmar government and the international community for this mechanism that ASEAN is putting in place to address the immediate and longer term needs of the Myanmar people. The Myanmar people are a resilient people, and like the Chinese after the Sichuan earthquake, will emerge stronger from this catastrophe. Yesterday, coming from the airport, I visited Singapore's medical detachment at Twan Te, a town not far from Yangon, which was affected - but not too badly - by the cyclone. I was heartened to see the way trees which have fallen cut up and the logs stacked neatly on the side, shops reopened, buildings being repaired, new roofs being put in place, children playing, and people smiling. But of course, Twan Te, was not as badly affected as many regions deep in the Delta. For those who live there, they need help. Lots of help. There is little time to lose.
4 We in ASEAN cannot perform this job on our own. Myanmar's needs are way beyond what Myanmar itself or ASEAN as a whole can provide. This is why ASEAN and the UN have jointly convened this Pledging Conference. We in ASEAN can play little more than a facilitating role in fostering greater trust and cooperation between the international community - which has the capabilities - and the Myanmar government. The Myanmar government, on its part, should allow more international relief workers into the stricken areas quickly, as the needs are desperate. I was heartened by UN Secretary General's report that Senior General Than Shwe had agreed to let in aid workers from all countries during their meeting on Thursday. We thank Secretary General Ban for working tirelessly to get us all together.
5 For the aid to be applied effectively, it must be based on a clear and realistic assessment of Myanmar's needs and priorities. We look forward to Myanmar's presentation on the assistance that the country needs. So far, the assessment given has been considered by many international agencies to be far too optimistic. This Conference is an opportunity for all of us to take stock of what has already been done, and to be much clearer about the gaps that have to be filled.
Dear Friends,
6 For our efforts to bear good results, we must avoid politicising the aid that we give. Distrust between foreign countries and international agencies and the Myanmar government has contributed sadly to the misery of the victims of this natural disaster. Let this Conference concentrate on helping the Myanmar people in the aftermath of the cyclone - full stop. This is not to say that we give up our political views and ideals but there is a proper time and place to express them, and this is neither the right time nor the right place to do so.
7 Last night, the ASEAN Foreign Ministers met and requested the Myanmar government to allow the entire proceedings of this Conference to be open for coverage by international media. Foreign Minister Nyan Win agreed without hesitation. I would like to thank the Myanmar government for this exercise of transparency.
8 Thank you.
George Yeo
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