Danish premier backs French idea to "force" Myanmar to let aid in

Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh RasmussenCopenhagen  -  Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen Tuesday expressed concern over the slow pace of getting relief shipments to cyclone victims in Myanmar.

Rasmussen told reporters he was "interested" in studying a proposal floated by France a week ago to "force" Myanmar's military rulers to allow international relief shipments - after an initial decision by the United Nations.

The Danish premier underlined that it was likely very difficult to get UN approval for such a move, adding that it was necessary for the international community to act "together" to ensure the speedy shipments of aid to the victims of Cyclone Nargis that hit Myanmar early May.

Some eight experts from the Danish Emergency Management Agency were meanwhile on standby with nine mobile water-purification units, and ready to fly to Myanmar at the end of the week - providing they get entry visas.

The small units are easy to transport by pickup truck or small boat to disaster areas, the agency said.

"They are so efficient that they can even purify sewage water for use as drinking water," Peter Kaas Claesson, one of the experts on standby, told broadcaster DR.

In an effort to speed up the visa processing, the Danish team sent copies of their applications with a team of Swedish relief workers who flew Tuesday to Myanmar with tents aimed for homeless victims. (dpa)

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