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World Extends Its Hand As Bush Says US Welcomes Aid Offers
The United States, reeling from the death and destruction wrought by Hurricane Katrina, said Thursday it would accept any offers of assistance, as the world community rallied to its aid. "We are open to all offers of assistance from other nations, and I would expect we would take people up on offers of assistance when it's necessary," said White House spokesman Scott McClellan. But asked whether this was a request for foreign aid, McClellan sharply replied: "No." The signal by the United States, the world's only superpower, marks an extraordinary reversal of roles for the country that is more used to coming to the assistance of others. Earlier in the day, President George W. Bush said in an ABC television interview that America did not need the help of other countries. "I'm not expecting much from foreign nations because we haven't asked for it. But this country is going to rise up and take care of it. We love help, but we are going to take care of our own business, as well," he said. The White House about face came as the governor of Louisiana, Kathleen Blanco, said thousands of people were feared dead after the storm battered New Orleans on Monday and that up to 300,000 people may still be stranded in the deluged city. The international community immediately extended its hand, with the European Union, France, Germany, Italy, Canada and even Venezuela all publicly offering to send assistance to the stricken US Gulf Coast. The EU pledged whatever help is needed after Hurricane Katrina battered New Orleans and the Mississippi Delta region, leaving massive devastation and a death toll officials aid would reach the thousands. "These are very difficult and painful days for people in that region," said British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw at a two-day informal meeting of EU foreign minister in Wales. While acknowledging the United States was "a country of enormous resources" capapble of helping itself, he said Europe wanted to makes its offer of support clear. France, whose ties with United states have been strained over the past two years over Washington's decision to go to war in Iraq, also said it was prepared to send aid to the hurrican-ravaged southeastern US region. "We are naturally ready to provide help for the Americans and that is what we have told them," Villepin told the private TF1 television channel during an interview. German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said his country would do all it could to help the United States cope with the aftermath of the deadly hurricane. "I have asked my ministers to look at where we can best help, and where the US wants us to help. We will do everything we can. We want to show that we stand squarely with our American friends," Schroeder told national television. Italy said it too was ready to send civil defence teams and equipment to the southern United States, with two air force Hercules C-130 transports set to take off carrying equipment. The United States' northern neighbour Canada also offered help, with chief of the defence staff, General Rick Hillier, unveiling plans to assist the disaster zone. The initial US response was to hold off as officials finish assessing the damage and aid needs, Hillier said after having lunch with US ambassador David Wilkins. "We want to help." The United States is probably not lacking much, if anything, to help its citizens and start to rebuild, Hillier admitted. Still, Canada will have transport airplanes and helicopters ready to deploy, as well as "land, air and sea assets," portable power generators and water purification plants, small boats, remote diving units to clear obstacles or recover objects under water, communications equipment and trucks, he said. Even Venezuela, which enjoys extremely tense relations with Washington, offered emergency funds and fuel and its leaders expressed their dismay over the magnitude and consquences of the storm. The US government is under intense fire from the media and public over what was seen to be an overly slow response to the disaster and inadequate measures to prevent it. The US State Department meanwhile said no assistance would be refused and said offers had been received from countries including Russia, Japan, Australia, Britain, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Greece, Hungary and Colombia. Bush meanwhile designated his father, former president George Bush, and his predecessor, former president Bill Clinton, to spearhead private fundraising efforts on behalf of Katrina's victims as they did for Asian countries battered by last year's tsunami. "This is similar to the effort they led with the tsunami relief, where they helped to raise more than one billion in an unprecedented effort to help people in that region," said McClellan.
related report UN spokeswoman Marie Okabe said the world body's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs was in touch with Washington. UN Emergency relief coordinator Jan Egeland wrote to US ambassador to the UN John Bolton to offer help in any way possible and has been encouraging donors to contribute to non-governmental organizations active in helping the hurricane victims, she added. "If the US asks for help, then OCHA could dispatch a UN disaster assessment and coordination team to coordinate efforts on the ground... But as far as I know it has not been requested." Several hundred people were feared killed in the southern US states of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama after they were lashed by Hurricane Katrina on Monday. US Senator Mary Landrieu said Thursday that the death toll could be in the thousands.
related report "These are very difficult and painful days for people in that region," said British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw in Wales in western Britain at a two-day informal meeting of European Union foreign ministers, part of Britain's turn at the rotating EU presidency. He acknowledged that the United States, as "a country of enormous resources," was able to go to the aid of those affected by one of the worst civil emergencies in US history. "But we wanted to make it clear that the European Union and its member states have offered to help the United States and communities of the region affected with any assistance that may be required," he said. France is prepared to send aid to affected areas Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin said, adding that that resources could be sent from French territories in the Caribbean. "We are naturally ready to provide help for the Americans and that is what we have told them," Villepin told the private TF1 television channel during an interview. "We have civil rescue facilities based in the West Indies," he said, referring notably to France's overseas possessions of Martinique and Guadeloupe. Separately, the French civil protection service in Paris said two of its experts would be leaving for Houston, Texas on Friday. The two were a doctor and a firefighter with expertise in responding to natural disasters, the service said. Villepin said he had met earlier in the day with the US ambassador to France to discuss the crisis. Italy meanwhile said it was ready to send civil defence teams and equipment to the disaster area. "Two Hercules C-130 transports of the Italian Air Force are ready to take off to transport equipment to the United States," Italy's civil protection authorities said in Rome. "Equipment ready to leave includes pumps, generators, amphibious craft and tents. "The material could be reviewed in the light of US demands." Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco said Thursday that the death toll from the hurricane and subsequent flooding was expected to go into the thousands. And the White House said the United States would accept offers of aid from abroad. "We are open to all offers of assistance from other nations, and I would expect we would take people up on offers of assistance when it's necessary," said spokesman Scott McClellan. But asked whether this was a request for foreign aid, McClellan sharply replied: "No."
related report "We are naturally ready to provide help for the Americans and that is what we have told them," Villepin told the private TF1 television channel during an interview. "We have civil rescue facilities based in the West Indies," he said, referring notably to France's overseas possessions of Martinique and Guadeloupe. Villepin added that he had met earlier in the day with the US ambassador to France to discuss the crisis, which is believed to have left thousands dead and to threaten many more due to widespread flooding. The French statement came as the White House in Washington announced that the US would accept offers of aid from abroad. "We are open to all offers of assistance from other nations, and I would expect we would take people up on offers of assistance when it's necessary," said spokesman Scott McClellan. One of the biggest emergencies is in the port city of New Orleans, which was originally founded by French settlers. The French foreign ministry said earlier that an operational humanitarian aid group "is going to meet to study the civilian and military means that France could make available from French regions and the French West Indies." Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy also contacted the US Secretary for Homeland Security Michael Chertoff to offer French aid. The foreign ministry said several French nationals were trapped in New Orleans but there were no reports of French casualties. President Jacques Chirac on Wednesday sent a letter to his US counterpart, George W. Bush, expressing his "heartfelt emotion" at the ravages of Hurricane Katrina.
related report "Our closest allies, our friends and our neighbors are living through a tragedy beyond anything that we probably would have imagined would visit the shores of this continent," Hillier said after having lunch with US ambassador David Wilkins. "We want to help." Hurricane Katrina plowed into the Gulf Coast on Monday, killing thousands in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, devastating entire communities and leading to catastrophic flooding in the city of New Orleans. Authorities were hoping to evacuate the entire city and said it might be months before the area is habitable. The initial US response was to hold off as officials finish assessing the damage and aid needs, Hillier said. The United States is probably not lacking much, if anything, to help its citizens and start to rebuild, Hillier admitted. Still, Canada will have transport airplanes and helicopters ready to deploy, as well as "land, air and sea assets," portable power generators and water purification plants, small boats, remote diving units to clear obstacles or recover objects under water, communications equipment and trucks, he said. "If they have need of things that they cannot provide, they will call us," he said. Meanwhile, Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin echoed the aid offer to US President George W. Bush during a telephone conversation Thursday and offered his condolences to those affected by the severe storm. "Like all Canadians, I am distressed by the destruction and loss of life wrought by Hurricane Katrina. During this most difficult time, Canada stands with you, and we are ready to provide whatever support you may require in the days, weeks and months ahead," Martin said in a news release Wednesday. Martin and Bush were scheduled to discuss the Canada-US softwood lumber dispute, but that issue has been brushed aside for now, a spokesman for Martin told AFP. A meeting between Canadian Trade Minister Jim Peterson and US Ambassador David Wilkins scheduled for late Thursday to discuss the trade dispute was also postponed. To date, no Canadian citizens have been reported killed or missing after the hurricane slammed the Gulf Coast states of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.
related report The United States, reeling from the death and destruction wrought by the hurricane, will accept any offers of aid from abroad, the White House said Thursday. "We are open to all offers of assistance from other nations, and I would expect we would take people up on offers of assistance when it's necessary," said spokesman Scott McClellan. But asked whether this was a request for foreign aid, McClellan sharply replied: "No." "Two Hercules C-130 transports of the Italian Air Force are ready to take off to transport equipment to the United States," Italy's civil protection authorities said in a statement. "Equipment ready to leave includes pumps, generators, amphibious craft and tents. "The material could be reviewed in the light of US demands." The head of the Italian civil protection service Guido Bertolaso has sharply criticised the lack of coordination following the disaster and the absence of decision-taking before it. "You order an evacuation, you don't suggest it," he told Italian television. Italian officials have been in touch with American diplomats and officials to discuss help. All rights reserved. � 2005 Agence France-Presse. Sections of the information displayed on this page (dispatches, photographs, logos) are protected by intellectual property rights owned by Agence France-Presse. As a consequence, you may not copy, reproduce, modify, transmit, publish, display or in any way commercially exploit any of the content of this section without the prior written consent of Agence France-Presse. Related Links TerraDaily Search TerraDaily Subscribe To TerraDaily Express 
Post-Katrina Looters: The Hungry, The Mean, The Dangerous
New Orleans, Louisiana (AFP) Aug 31, 2005For schoolteacher Jared Wood the scariest moment of Hurricane Katrina was not the killer winds or waters, it was the looter threatening to thrash him for trying to take his picture.
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