GVN SENDING MEDICAL TEAM TO BURMA

UNCLAS HANOI 000656 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID PGOV PHUM BM VM SUBJECT: GVN SENDING MEDICAL TEAM TO BURMA REF: STATE 59122 ¶1. On June 3, poloff discussed reftel points about the Burmese regime's ongoing restrictions and forced relocations with MFA Asia II Department Burma Desk Officer Tran Nguyen Thao. Thao said the GVN has no additional information about the situation of relief workers' access in Burma. The GVN has received permission to send a medical team to Burma. The 15-member team from the Ministry of Health will depart Vietnam on June 4 and remain in Burma for 2-3 weeks. ¶2. Thao also mentioned that Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem urged Burmese leaders to open up to international relief teams during his visit to Rangoon for the Donors Conference. The GVN will use future opportunities to repeat the same message. According to Thao, the next monthly ASEAN Cyclone Nargis Taskforce meeting will be held in Rangoon on June 25. MICHALAK