KEY POINTS:
Prime Minister Helen Clark says history will judge Myanmar's military leaders who are thwarting efforts to get aid to its cyclone devastated population.
At the weekend 51 donor nations met to discuss aid for the victims of Cyclone Nargis which killed 78,000 people, with 55,000 still missing.
Donor nations said they were ready to provide Myanmar with more than $130m of aid but warned more help would be limited until they could enter the worst hit areas.
However, Myanmar's Prime Minister Lieutenant General Thein Sein said international aid "with no strings attached" was welcome but no foreign vessel could use the vital Yangon port.
United States, British and French warships loaded with humanitarian supplies have been off Myanmar's coast for more than a week.
Myanmar's leaders have virtually barred foreign aid workers and international agencies from the devastated Irrawaddy Delta because they fear a large influx of foreigners could lead to political interference in their internal affairs.
Speaking on Newstalk ZB this morning, Miss Clark said the junta's actions were unacceptable.
"Even in the face of catastrophe for its own people, and it is a catastrophe, they still won't accept any one in to help. It is preposterous and history will judge them accordingly."
Miss Clark was asked if any international court action could be taken on the grounds of crimes against humanity. She did not know but said: "I think it's pretty plain for the whole world to see that while their people suffered, while people died unnecessarily, they sat on their hands because they were terrified of losing power."
An estimate released on Saturday by the UN said of the total 2.4 million people affected by the storm, about 42 per cent had received some kind of emergency assistance. But of the 2 million people living in the 15 worst-affected townships, only 23 per cent had been reached.
- NZPA
