Myanmar, Malaysia agree over aid flotilla
The flotilla spat appears to have come to an agreeable end. Myanmar has permitted a group of Malaysian organisations to send aid earmarked for Rakhine State after an official permission request was forwarded to the president, and a delegation smoothed over the arrangements on January 19 with officials in Nay Pyi Taw. The tiff was resolved through a compromise: Malaysia can send the vessel so long as it docks in Yangon and not in Sittwe as initially planned, according to an official from the foreign affairs ministry. The deal was worked out yesterday when representatives from Malaysia met with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and officially submitted the request for approval. The flotilla was supposed to set sail on January 10, but was delayed after Myanmar announced that any country wanting to donate aid to Rakhine must first get approval through diplomatic channels. The aid must also be delivered by the Myanmar government.
