FACTBOX-Governments line up to help after Katrina
Sept 3 (Reuters) – Hurricane Katrina has devastated New Orleans
and U.S. Gulf Coast states, killing hundreds of people and possibly
thousands, and drawing support pledges from rich and poor, traditional
friends and foes of the United States.
The State Department said offers of help had been received from:
Australia, Austria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Belgium, Canada,
China, Columbia, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El
Salvador, France, Germany, Guatemala, Greece, Guyana, Honduras,
Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan,
Jordan, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand,
Norway, Paraguay, Philippines, Portugal, South Korea, Russia, Saudi
Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Sweden,
Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates,
and Venezuela.
International organisations also offered help ranging from medical
teams to tents to cash donations. They include NATO, the Organisation
of American States, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, and the
World Health Organization.
A State Department official said a needs assessment was being done
to determine which offers would be accepted.
The United Nations has offered to help coordinate international
relief. Following is a list of some of the aid offered by governments.
ASIA
AUSTRALIA: “We’re going to provide A$10 million and the bulk of
that money, if not all of it, will go to the American Red Cross,”
said Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer. The Australian
government said there may be up to 24 Australians trapped in Louisiana
in the aftermath of Katrina.
CHINA: China offered $5 million in aid for victims of Hurricane
Katrina which devastated the Gulf Coast ahead of President Hu Jintao’s
U.S. visit. If needed, the Chinese government is also prepared to
send rescue workers, including medical experts, officials said.
JAPAN: Will provide $200,000 to the American Red Cross to assist
victims of Hurricane Katrina, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said on
Friday. Japan will also identify needs in affected regions via the
U.S. government and will provide up to $300,000 in emergency supplies
such as tents, blankets and power generators if it receives requests
for such assistance, the ministry said.
SINGAPORE: The Singapore Armed Forces, responding to requests by
the United States Texas Army National Guard, has sent three Chinook
helicopters to Fort Polk, Louisiana, to help in relief efforts. The
government said the Chinooks will help to ferry supplies and undertake
airlift missions.
SOUTH KOREA: Has pledged aid and is waiting for a U.S. response,
a government official said. “We have sent our intention to offer
recovery aid,” a Foreign Ministry official said on Friday.
SRI LANKA: Will donate $25,000 to the American Red Cross.
AMERICAS
CANADA: Offered to help in any way it can and the navy is preparing
a ship full of emergency disaster relief supplies to be sent when a
request comes.
CUBA: Cuban President Fidel Castro offered to fly 1,100 doctors to
Houston with 26 tonnes of medicine to treat disaster victims.
MEXICO: Is sending 15 truckloads of water, food and medical supplies
via Texas and the Mexican navy has offered to send two ships, two
helicopters and 15 amphibious vehicles.
VENEZUELA: President Hugo Chavez, a vocal critic of the United States,
offered to send cheap fuel, humanitarian aid and relief workers to
the disaster area.
EUROPE:
EUROPEAN UNION: EU countries are ready to give the United States oil
if it requests help, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said on
Friday. But British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said this was not
what the EU had in mind when it discussed how to help.
FRANCE: Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin said France was ready to
offer support, telling TF1 television: “We have rescue teams based
in the Caribbean and we are naturally ready to provide aid to the
Americans, and that is what we have told them.”
GERMANY: Has offered mobile units to provide clean water, military
hospital facilities and medical aid.
ITALY: Has offered to “immediately” send aid and evacuation
specialists, Italy’s civil protection unit said. Authorities have
prepared two military transport planes to fly amphibious vessels,
pumps, generators, tents and personnel to New Orleans and other
areas. They were awaiting word from U.S. officials, the unit said.
NETHERLANDS: Will provide teams for inspecting dykes and for
identifying victims if there is a formal request from the United
States. It will also send a frigate from Curacao to New Orleans
shortly to provide emergency assistance, the government said.
RUSSIA: Has offered to help with rescue efforts, but is still awaiting
a reply from Washington. “Above all with heavy transport planes,
which can be loaded with helicopters and generators — as there is no
electricity in the area of the catastrophe,” Defence Minister Sergei
Ivanov said.
SPAIN: Expects to receive a formal request to release gasoline stocks
to the United States and is prepared to grant it, an Industry Ministry
spokesman said.
SWEDEN: The Rescue Authority said it was on stand-by to supply water
purifying equipment, healthcare supplies and emergency shelters
if needed.
MIDDLE EAST
SAUDI ARABIA – Saudi Refining, a Houston-based subsidiary of state
oil firm Saudi Aramco, will donate $5 million to the American Red
Cross to support relief efforts for victims of Hurricane Katrina.
QATAR: Pledged $100 million in aid to the disaster victims, the
official QNA news agency reported.
(For more news about emergency relief visit Reuters AlertNet
email: [email protected]; +44 207 542 2432)
(Compiled by Matthew Bigg in London)
09/03/05 11:44 ET
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress