The Hindu : International : Bush defends U.S. response

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Dec 31, 2004

International

International

Bush defends U.S. response

By Matt Joyce- New York Times News Services

CRAWFORD (TEXAS), DEC. 30. The U.S. President, George Bush, has defended the United States' assistance to Asian regions reeling from Sunday's earthquake-tsunami catastrophe and pledged long-term support for rebuilding nations.

Speaking to reporters at his Crawford ranch, Mr. Bush said the widespread destruction and 76,000 confirmed deaths resulting from the Indian Ocean tragedy were ``beyond our comprehension.''

The U.S. has contributed $35 million in immediate cash relief and joined a coalition with India, Japan and Australia to coordinate international relief efforts, he said.

He criticised a suggestion made by a U.N. official that the world's richest nations had been ``stingy'' in their relief support. ``I felt like the person who made that statement was very misguided and ill-informed,'' he said. ``We're a very generous, kindhearted nation, and what you're beginning to see is a typical response from America.'' The U.S. contributed $2.4 billion to disaster relief efforts around the world in 2004, he said.

The press conference marked Mr. Bush's first public comments since the Sunday earthquake. Mr. Bush said he had spoken Wednesday morning with leaders of India, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Indonesia. ``I assured those leaders that this is only the beginning of our help.'' Along with the $35 million, the U.S. has responded by deploying disaster experts to the region and dispatching an aircraft carrier with a Marine expeditionary unit, Mr. Bush said.

Schroeder's suggestion

He said he was confident that more nations would join the international coalition, which he said was designed to coordinate responses to both immediate humanitarian needs and long-term reconstruction efforts. He said he would also examine a suggestion from the German Chancellor, Gerhard Schroeder, to consider putting a moratorium on the debt of hard-hit Somalia and Indonesia.

Dark vision

On other matters, Bush said that providing security for election officials in Iraq's coming election and creating a safe environment for voters are top American priorities. He condemned Osama bin Laden's broadcast that called for a boycott of the election. Mr. Bush said it was ``very important'' that the elections proceed.

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