Dr. Surin Pitsuwan, the Secretary-General of ASEAN, and Mr. Ban Ki-moon, the Secretary-General of UN, on 24 May 2008 at the Don Mueang airport officially launched the ASEAN partnership with the United Nations as part of the ASEAN Coalition of Mercy. The two Secretaries-General also exchanged notes following their respective visits to Yangon earlier this week and discussed strategies to ensure the expeditious deployment of relief assistance from the international community to the cyclone-affected population in Myanmar.

Dr. Surin explained to the assembled dignitaries the concept of the ASEAN-led mechanism where ASEAN takes the lead in coordinating and liaising with the UN system and international community to help Myanmar recover from Cyclone Nargis. The ASEAN Humanitarian Task Force for the Victims of the Cyclone Nargis (Coalition of Mercy) was established by the Foreign Ministers of ASEAN at their meeting on 19 May 2008 in Singapore. Led by Dr. Surin, the Task Force will have its first meeting on 25 May 2008 in Yangon immediately after the ASEAN-UN International Pledging Conference.

Dr. Surin joined the Prime Minister of Thailand, H.E. Samak Sundaravej, and Mr. Ban Ki-moon in opening the cargo hangars at Don Mueang airport which will be used as a hub and staging point for relief aid coming to Myanmar.

On 6 May 2008 in Singapore, Dr. Surin appealed to all ASEAN Governments, the private sector, the civil society and the international community to respond generously and deploy their relief supplies and facilities to Bangkok first at the initial stage. He also called upon the Royal Thai Armed Forces to transport the donated items into Myanmar quickly. Dr. Surin thanked the Prime Minister of Thailand who has agreed to designate the Don Mueang airport as the UN staging point under the ASEAN-UN cooperation framework. Dr. Surin also thanked all those who have responded to his earlier appeal.