Myanmar's Deputy Defense Minister Aye Myint told a Asian security forum here on Sunday that the focus of cyclone relief is now on reconstruction, and Myanmar welcomes "no strings attached" foreign aid.
"We would warmly welcome any assistance and aid which are provided with genuine goodwill from any country or organization provided that there are no strings attached, or politicization involved," he told some 300 defense ministers, military officials and security experts from the Asia-Pacific region and beyond who are attending the three-day security conference held here which is also known as the Shangri-La Dialogue.
In his speech, Major General Aye Myint told the participants that Myanmar's focus had shifted to reconstruction after the ending of relief operations.
May 2-3 Cyclone Nargis has left 77,738 people death and 55,917 missing, and the economic losses in the disaster is estimated of 10.67 billion U.S. dollars, Aye Myint said.
He welcomed foreign groups to join in the reconstruction of the affected area in his county, saying "for those groups who are interested in rehabilitation and reconstruction, we are ready to accept them in accordance with our priorities."
(Xinhua News Agency June 1, 2008)
