US: Myanmar faces disaster over lack of aid

By FOSTER KLUG Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - The director of U.S. foreign disaster assistance says skilled foreign aid workers are sitting on the sidelines as victims of last week's cyclone in Myanmar die.

Ky Luu says the disaster is pushing an already vulnerable population "right off the cliff" as supplies from those trying to help pile up on airport tarmacs.

He spoke at a think tank Friday as Myanmar's ruling military junta seized two planeloads of critical aid sent by the U.N.

Asia Director for the U.N. World Food Program Tony Banbury said via satellite from Thailand that the WFP would usually immediately stop operations if a government took its supplies. But officials are considering what to do next because of the scale of the disaster.