The U.S. Embassy in Myanmar is immediately providing $250,000 in aid from an existing emergency fund to humanitarian organizations working on the ground, Mrs. Bush said. The United States "stands prepared" to provide broader help, but it cannot do so until the government grants permission for a U.S. disaster assistance response team to enter the country and assess the needs, she said. The State Department says that permission has been denied.

"I'm worried that they won't even accept U.S. aid," Mrs. Bush said. "And I urge the government to accept aid from the United States and from the entire international community right now while the needs of their people are so critical."

www.chicagotribune.com...

The United States said on Wednesday it had strongly urged Asian allies such as China, Thailand, Indonesia and India to put pressure on the junta in Myanmar to allow in aid after a devastating cyclone.

So far military-ruled Myanmar has resisted requests by the United States and others to allow in disaster assessment teams and much-needed aid following the giant storm that killed more than 23,000 and left tens of thousands more missing.

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said the U.S. government had reached out to Myanmar's neighbors, including Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia, as well as China, India and Japan to get them to use their influence with the junta.

www.reuters.com...

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations said today it was trying to persuade Myanmar, a member of the group, to open its borders. ``All of us in Asean are trying to talk'' to the junta, Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan told reporters in Jakarta. ``We expect to get permission and opening'' of borders for aid deliveries soon.

Myanmar's state television reported that about 22,000 people have died and more than 40,000 are missing. The toll may climb to 100,000 as more bodies are found in the delta area, Shari Villarosa, the U.S. charge d'affaires at the embassy in Yangon, said yesterday.

www.bloomberg.com...

BURMA'S ruling junta has given the US military permission to fly in relief supplies for survivors of Cyclone Nargis, the Thai military has said.

"We have helped the Americans to talk to the Myanmar (Burma) government to allow US planes ... to fly humanitarian aid (into the country). They just agreed," Thai Supreme Commander Boonsrang Niumpradit said. A US embassy official confirmed the decision.

But a United Nations spokesman has said the junta has still not given clearance for other aid flights to enter the country.

www.news.com.au...