THAILAND: US SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN POWELL PLEDGES US WILL WORK CLOSELY WITH THAILAND FOR AID AND TO SET UP TSUNAMI WARNING SYSTEM
Record ID:
222889
THAILAND: US SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN POWELL PLEDGES US WILL WORK CLOSELY WITH THAILAND FOR AID AND TO SET UP TSUNAMI WARNING SYSTEM
- Title: THAILAND: US SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN POWELL PLEDGES US WILL WORK CLOSELY WITH THAILAND FOR AID AND TO SET UP TSUNAMI WARNING SYSTEM
- Date: 4th January 2005
- Summary: (U1) BANGKOK, THAILAND (JANUARY 4, 2005) (POOL-ACCESS ALL) 1. SLV CAR ARRIVING 0.06 2. VARIOUS OF U.S SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN POWELL AND FLORIDA GOVERNOR JEB BUSH MEETING THAI FOREIGN MINISTER SURAKIART SATHIRATHAI OUTSIDE GOVERNMENT HOUSE 0.19 3. SLV POLICE AND JOURNALISTS 0.24 4. SLV JEB BUSH, POWELL AND SATHIRATHAI WALKING INTO GOVERNMENT HOUSE 0.30 5. VARIOUS OF POWELL MEETING THAI PRIME MINISTER THAKSIN SHINAWATRA 0.42 6. VARIOUS OF THAKSIN AND POWELL SEATED 0.47 BANGKOK, THAILAND (JANUARY 4, 2005) (REUTERS-ACCESS ALL) 7. WIDE OF PRES CONFERENCE WITH POWELL, SATHIRATHAI AND JEB BUSH ON RESPECTIVE PODIUMS 0.54 8. SCU SOUNDBITE (English) SATHIRATHAI SAYING: "One is that we went through the overview of our co-operation and assistance and we are very pleased to hear that it has been proceeding well. Secondly, we are thinking about the next stage. I proposed to Secretary Powell and Governor Bush that we would like to set up the early warning system and monitoring system. Prime Minister Thaksin has also reiterated this policy and Thailand is willing to invest ourselves but we would like to have expertise, technical assistance from the United States." 1.32 9. WIDE OF NEWS CONFERENCE 1.37 10. SCU SOUNDBITE (English) POWELL SAYING: "The aftermath of the tsunami is a tragedy for the entire world and the United States will certainly not turn away from those in desperate need. We have demonstrated in recent days our willingness to provide support, not only financial support but the military support that our Pacific Command is now providing with the presence of our C-130 aircraft helicopters with our ships at sea, with the Orian P3 planes that are performing reconnaissance missions and with the command post that has been set up." 2.09 11. WIDE OF PRESS CONFERENCE 2.13 12. SCU SOUNDBITE (English) POWELL SAYING: "In addition to just the raw commitment of funds of just US$350 million, there is a larger commitment of money to be added to that from Pentagon accounts, it's not larger than 350, I don't know what the number is but certainly the U.S contribution is a lot more than just the pledged US$350 million." 2.35 13. WIDE OF POWELL AND SATHIRATHAI SHAKING HANDS THEN SATHIRATHAI SHAKING HANDS WITH JEB BUSH AND LEAVING 2.51 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 19th January 2005 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: BANGKOK, THAILAND
- Country: Thailand
- Reuters ID: LVAC3HZGZHGOZ48HYSLNA7HUIPS4
- Story Text: U.S. pledges to work closely with Thailand to set up tsunami warning
system and promises more support in the region.
U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell and Florida Governor Jeb Bush
arrived in Bangkok on Tuesday (January 4) to meet with the Thai Prime Minister
Thaksin Shinawatra and Thai Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai before
heading to Phuket to begin his tour of the tsunami-hit region.
After meeting Sathirathai, Powell and Bush held a joint news conference
to announce the next steps in this massive relief operation. The setting up of
a future warning system is high up on the agenda.
"One is that we went through the overview of our cooperation and
assistance and we are very pleased to hear that it has been proceeding well.
Secondly, we are thinking about the next stage. I proposed to Secretary Powell
and Governor Bush that we would like to set up the early warning system and
monitoring system. Prime Minister Thaksin has also reiterated this policy and
Thailand is willing to invest ourselves but we would like to have expertise,
technical assistance from the United States," said Sathirathai.
Powell reassured support and "solidarity" from the United
States for recovery efforts throughout the region and emphasized that aid
should be country specific as each nation was uniquely affected and required
different sorts of assistance.
Thailand, for example is in desperate need of forensic experts to help
identify thousands of decomposing bodies of foreigners in Phuket and the
neighbouring islands.
"The aftermath of the tsunami is a tragedy for the entire world and
the United States will certainly not turn away from those in desperate need.
We have demonstrated in recent days our willingness to provide support, not
only financial support but the military support that our Pacific Command is
now providing with the presence of our C-130 aircraft helicopters with our
ships at sea, with the orion P3 planes that are performing reconnaissance
missions and with the command post that has been set up," said Powell.
After being criticized for a sluggish response to the tsunami disaster,
U.S. President George W. Bush and his two immediate predecessors -- former
Presidents Bill Clinton and George Bush, the current president's father --
appealed to Americans to contribute to the massive aid effort.
"In addition to just the raw commitment of funds of just US$350
million, there is a larger commitment of money to be added to that from
Pentagon accounts, it's not larger than 350, I don't know what the number is
but certainly the U.S contribution is a lot more than just the pledged US$350
million," said Powell.
After Phuket, Powell will head to Aceh, Indonesia-- the worst affected
area.
The official death toll from the South Asian tsunami, unleashed by a
magnitude 9 earthquake off Indonesia on Dec. 26, has climbed to almost
150,000, with millions left homeless, hungry and threatened by deadly
disease.
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