U.N. aid coordinator visits Myanmar

YANGON, Myanmar, May 18 (UPI) -- The United Nations Sunday dispatched its top humanitarian relief coordinator to Myanmar to convince leaders to accept international aid, officials said.

U.N. spokeswoman Amanda Pitt said Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes planned to meet with Myanmar leaders about accepting international humanitarian aid, CNN said.

Meanwhile, the ruling military junta hosted foreign diplomats and aid workers in Myanmar's Irrawaddy Delta, devastated by Cyclone Nargis May 3.

The ruling generals, responding to international criticism, said they would allow some humanitarian aid and emergency aid workers into the country to respond to the devastation. They were reluctant to do so to a large degree out of fear of losing hold of power over the country, EuroNews.net said Sunday.

State-run media outlets say the military junta released generous aid deliveries to those in need, but humanitarian agencies say most of the emergency supplies remain at the border. Those who have visited the region say recovery could take at least a year.