BURMA

Washington Monday, May 19, 2008

Burma's military rulers have invited U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to the country for talks on rebuilding after a devastating May 2 cyclone, and there were tentative hopes that the government could be poised to allow a greater flow of foreign relief, officials said Sunday.

Ban, who had complained that Senior Gen. Than Shwe had not returned his phone calls, plans to visit Burma this week. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, meanwhile, is meeting Monday in Singapore to discuss a proposal for it to lead an aid effort in conjunction with the United Nations. Burma is an ASEAN member.

Mark Malloch Brown, Britain's minister for Asia, said Sunday after leaving Rangoon that international leaders could be at a turning point in efforts to coax Burma's rulers to accept more foreign help.

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