Myanmar leader makes first visit to relief camp

"I think you're going to see quite dramatic steps by the Burmese to open up," he said.

A breakthrough appeared to be on the horizon in the junta's dealings with the United Nations.

Myanmar's military government has given permission for the U.N. secretary-general to travel to the Irrawaddy delta to visit areas hardest hit by the cyclone, U.N. spokeswoman Michele Montas said.

The announcement came as John Holmes, the U.N. undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs, arrived in Myanmar's largest city, Yangon, late Sunday to meet with junta leaders.

Than Shwe had refused to take telephone calls from Ban and had not responded to two letters from him, Montas said. Holmes was to deliver a third letter.

Myanmar's leaders, angered by criticism of their handling of the crisis, stepped up their rhetoric Sunday even amid warnings by Save the Children that thousands of children face starvation.

The state-run New Light of Myanmar newspaper said in an editorial Sunday that the government, "mobilizing the cooperation of the people, social organizations and departments," has rushed to carry out relief and rehabilitation tasks.

"Necessary measures are being taken constantly to attend to the basic needs of the people in the relief camps, while specialists are making field trips to the storm-struck areas to provide health care," it said.

The publication accused foreign news agencies of broadcasting false information that has led international organizations to assume that the government is rejecting aid for storm victims.

"Those who have been to Myanmar understand the actual fact," it said.