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YANGON, Myanmar (AP) - A U.N. official says the World Food Program is suspending cyclone aid to Myanmar because its government seized supplies flown into the country.

 

He says the WFP has no choice but to suspend the shipments until the matter is resolved.

 

WFP spokesman Paul Risley said Friday that all "the food aid and equipment that we managed to get in has been confiscated." The shipment included 38 tons of high-energy biscuits.

 

Risley said it is not clear why the material was seized.

 

 

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UN halts Burma aid after seizure

 

 

The World Food Programme has halted aid shipments to Burma after the contents of its first delivery were impounded on arrival in the military-ruled country.

 

The UN body says the Burmese government seized tonnes of aid material flown in to help victims of Cyclone Nargis, which has killed tens of thousands.

 

The WFP said it had no choice but to halt aid until the matter was resolved.

 

Burma's ruling generals have faced mounting criticism over their handling of the crisis.

 

 

 

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The U.N. said the aid included 38 tons of high-energy biscuits and arrived in Myanmar on Friday on two flights from Bangladesh and the United Arab Emirates.

 

"All of the food aid and equipment that we managed to get in has been confiscated," U.N. World Food Program spokesman Paul Risley said. "For the time being, we have no choice but to end further efforts to bring critical needed food aid into Myanmar at this time."

 

Myanmar's government acknowledged taking control of the shipments and said it plans to distribute the aid "without delay by its own labor to the affected areas."

 

In a statement e-mailed to The Associated Press, government spokesman Ye Htut said the junta had "clearly stated" what it would do and denied the action amounted to a seizure.

 

"I would like to know which person or organization (made these) these baseless accusations," he said.

 

The WFP's regional director, Tony Banbury, directly appealed to Myanmar's military leaders in an interview with Associated Press Television News.

 

"Please, this food is going to people who need it very much. You and I, we have the same interests," Banbury said. Those victimsâ??those 1 million or more peopleâ??who need this assistance are not part of a political dialogue. They need this humanitarian assistance. Please release it."

 

 

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