Bangkok--26 May--UN
(1.) Chengdu, China— The UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, and his delegation flew in to Chinafrom Bangkok for a four-hour visit early today. They came in on a Chinese executive jet, but the visit was the initiative of the Secretary-General.
UN officials say Mr. Ban’s main mission in Asia had been to go to Myanmarbut because he was in the neighbourhood he decided it would also be appropriate to visit China.
He was greeted at Chengduairport by Chinese officials, including the Chinese Ambassador to the United Nations, Wang Guangya, and Sichuan'sProvinical Governor, Jiang Jufeng.
They plan to fly by helicopter to the epicentre area, where he is going to meet the prime minister, and view relief efforts and meet victims.
No exact details were available because of the trip’s last minute nature.
(2.) Chengdu, China— The UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, and his delegation flew in by helicopter to the town of Yingxiu, one of the worst hit, over tent encampments of the homeless and steep river gorges.
Over half of buildings are leveled and the rest are cracked and tottering.
On arrival Mr. Ban met with Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao, who showed him around the town.
Mr. Wen said in remarks to a small crowd, made up mostly of soldiers and journalists [many of the town's residents are dead or have left
]: "We will never waver in our commitment to opening up."
He told Mr. Ban that Chinafaced three priorities, providing tents, preventing epidemics and preventing what he called secondary disasters [probably referring to bursting of lakes formed by quakes, deaths from landslides etc
]. He noted that the biggest storage lake nearby held 100 million cubic metres.
The Secretary-General repeatedly paid tribute to the leadership of Mr. Wen and his government, and pledged full support from the United Nations.
“The Chinese goverment, at the early stage of this natural disaster, has invested strenuous effort and demonstrated extraordinary leadership," Mr. Ban said.
Both Mr. Ban and Mr. Wen talked about Myanmar. Mr. Ban described talks with Myanmar Senior General Than Shwe, and Mr. Wen talked about how Chinawas going to attend a pledging conference for the victim’s of Cyclone Nargis in Myanmartomorrow and offer $10 million.
(3.) Chengdu, China— The UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, has now left Yingxiu and is awaiting his flight back to Bangkok.
At an impromptu press conference, Mr. Ban said that it was sad so many children had died while studying at school. During the press conference, relief workers in white suits and masks carried relief supplies in cardboard boxes into Yingxiu by hand.
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