The Hindu : Front Page : Navy on alert for relief efforts, says Natwar Singh

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jan 07, 2005

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Front Page

Navy on alert for relief efforts, says Natwar Singh

By P. S. Suryanarayana

JAKARTA, JAN. 6. The External Affairs Minister, K. Natwar Singh, today assured the leaders of the States along the Indian Ocean rim and in South-East Asia that New Delhi would be "happy to place the strengths of the Indian Navy for use in humanitarian relief in the region."

Addressing the extraordinary summit on the tsunami disaster, organised by the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN), Mr. Singh said: "We have placed a hospital ship off the coast of Aceh, Indonesia, which has been the worst hit area. This ship is providing emergency rations, medicines, tents and first-aid kits. It is also equipped to set up on-shore medical facilities.

"Another naval ship has brought relief and emergency medical supplies. Even as I speak, the Indian relief effort at Meulaboh is in full operation. An on-shore field hospital has been set up in this devastated town, and relief supplies are being delivered and distributed to the victims. We are ready to do more to assist Indonesia in required areas."

Outlining India's logistical efforts to meet the tsunami at home and in Sri Lanka and the Maldives and spelling out New Delhi's efforts to reach out to other affected countries, Mr. Singh said, "India whole-heartedly supports the efforts of the United Nations" in coordinating international relief and in "finding ways and means to address the gaps in the relief process."

It was in this context that he offered to place the resources of the Indian Navy in readiness for suitable use in meeting the tsunami challenges.

Space technology

Mr. Singh said India and the ASEAN had agreed to cooperate in the field of space technology and its applications for weather forecasting and disaster mitigation. He spelt out India's commitment to provide its expertise such as those of trained search-and-rescue teams, designers of "web-based disaster management information systems" and other skilled professionals.

During the conference, the U.S. Secretary of State, Colin Powell, said the core group, formed by Washington in collaboration with India, Japan and Australia, was now being disbanded in the context of today's show of international solidarity in meeting the tsunami challenges.

Early warning centre

World leaders agreed that "a regional tsunami early warning centre" should be set up for the benefit of the countries along the Indian Ocean rim and those in South-East Asia.

In a declaration, the heads of state or government and special envoys of nearly 40 countries and international organisations decided to "request the United Nations to mobilise the international community to support the national relief emergency programmes in the affected countries."

Special representative

The U.N. Secretary General, Kofi Annan's "flash appeal" for a new initiative worth about $1 billion was welcomed.

The U.N. was also requested to appoint a special representative to cope with the present challenges and convene an "international pledging conference."

The U.N. should explore the establishment of a "standby arrangement" at the global level to meet tsunami challenges, the leaders said.

While the issues of debt moratorium or even forgiveness and assistance by international financial institutions and others were discussed by the assembled "community of grief" the overall mood was one of shared sentiments, diplomats and officials noted.

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