Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon said the meeting was being held to discuss 'concrete measures we can do from now on' to help people in Myanmar.

'Until now, regrettably, I think we have spent much of our time and energy in facilitating aid, getting food in, and visas being issued,' he told reporters in impromptu remarks at the UN headquarters.

'Even though the Myanmar government has shown some sense of flexibility, at this time, it's far, far too short,' he said. 'The magnitude of this situation requires much more mobilisation of resources and aid workers.'

Mr Ban said he had invited representatives of member states including China, the United States, France, Britain and Russia; members of Asean, including Myanmar; and other countries.

Mr Ban was speaking shortly after British Prime Minister Gordon Brown called for an emergency UN summit on the cyclone disaster, along the same lines as the one held in the aftermath of the 2004 Asian tsunami.

While agencies were getting some aid to up to two million survivors of Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar's Irrawaddy delta region, heavy rain, logistical bottle-necks and delays over visas are still hampering operations, they said.

Several hundred thousand people have probably still not been reached, and disease outbreaks are still a serious concern.

For foreigners, access to the delta remains limited, if not forbidden. As a result, some agencies have begun stepping up recruitment and training of Myanmar nationals.

There is also growing concern that another cyclone might be forming. Continuing rain is reducing unpaved roads in the delta into slush.

At Yangon airport, more relief flights arrived - the United States alone sent five flights out of Thailand's Uthapao air base yesterday, and up to 20 flights were expected through the day.

A US Navy ship loaded with relief supplies also left Singapore yesterday. It will link up with two other vessels now off Myanmar awaiting approval to enter the country to aid in humanitarian efforts.

World Food Programme spokesman Marcus Prior said the agency was 'encouraged' by the progress in getting food supplies out to survivors.

The World Health Organisation's Ms Maureen Birmingham said: 'Some of the supplies are starting to flow. The challenge is distribution.'

But Thailand's Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej said yesterday after a visit to Myanmar that the junta leaders would not allow foreign experts into the country to guide the cyclone relief effort.

After a brief visit aimed at nudging the military government to accept a full-scale disaster response, he said he was told that 600,000 cyclone survivors are taking shelter in 600 camps.

'They insisted they can take care of their people and their country. They can manage by themselves,' he told reporters after a 21/2-hour meeting.

He had flown to Myanmar with a letter from Mr Ban urging the junta to issue more visas to international aid workers experienced in responding to such disasters.

Mr Samak was also carrying 100 satellite phones that officials said had been requested by the junta.

The use of satellite phones in Myanmar by anyone but the military is banned - a restriction which has also hampered the response to the disaster.

But Mr Samak said 'Myanmar doesn't want any foreign experts', adding that the regime indicated it would consider visa applications, which have been lodged by dozens of foreign aid workers, 'on a case-by-case basis'.

To that effect, Thai officials said the junta would allow 30 Thai doctors to fly to Myanmar tomorrow.

They are among the 160 personnel being allowed in from Bangladesh, China and India to assist in the relief effort.

nirmal@sph.com.sg

WITH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM WIRES