UN chief Ban plans to visit Myanmar starting Wednesday

New York  - UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon plans to travel this week to cyclone-ravaged Myanmar to push for speedier relief efforts, which continue to move slowly since the May 2 storm.

He plans to arrive on Wednesday for a three-day visit and hopes to meet with officials of Myanmar's military regime, UN spokeswoman Michele Montas said Sunday at UN headquarters in New York.

Myanmar's government has been sharply criticized around the world for obstructing international relief efforts.

Independent relief groups put the death toll from Cyclone Nargis at more than 100,000, with 2 million survivors at risk from starvation and disease if adequate food, medicine and other essential supplies do not arrive soon. (dpa)