Singapore - An international humanitarian taskforce Monday urged the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) to strengthen "rapid response capacities" in cyclone-wrecked Myanmar. 

Composed of the United Nations, Myanmar's government and ASEAN's secretariat, the task force said ASEAN "should maintain its coordination leadership through mid-2009." 

ASEAN was the only trusted body to ensure relief and recovery efforts could be carried out successfully, the task force said. 

"Two months in the aftermath of cyclone Nargis, ASEAN has asserted its leadership that resulted in the reduction of loss of life and the alleviation of suffering," the task force said. 

Myanmar's military junta refused entry to foreign relief assistance and aid workers after the cyclone hit the country in early May, outraging the international community. 

ASEAN acted as the catalyst in getting the aid moving. The cyclone left 140,000 people dead or missing 

The ASEAN-led coordinating mechanism facilitated the issuance of 1,650 visas to humanitarian workers that helped the delivery of hundreds of tons of relief goods to some 1.8 million victims, it noted. 

The task force also recommended ASEAN conduct periodic review of humanitarian relief needs and early recovery requirements. 

ASEAN was called on to establish an ASEAN Disaster Management and Emergency Relief Fund, provide leadership and supervision through the ASEAN Humanitarian Task Force (AHTF) office in Yangon and handle "resource mobilization." 

The recommendations were part of the Post-Nargis Joint Assessment (PONJAl) report, which was to be released later Monday. (dpa)