HUNGARY: Germany offers techological expertise and specialist aid to earthquake hit Japan

Record ID: 858738

  • Title: HUNGARY: Germany offers techological expertise and specialist aid to earthquake hit Japan
  • Date: 13th March 2011
  • Summary: GODOLLO, HUNGARY (MARCH 12, 2011) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER GUIDO WESTERWELLE SAYING: "We, the ministers, had a very important and forward-looking discussions about Libya. It demonstrates that not just Germany but many other states are very cautious about the subject of military intervention. I, myself, have said on many occasions that I am convinced about how important the partnership and the close coordination is with other states from the region, especially with the Arab League. The position which we Germans have - that everything else which happens beyond from sanctions must be co-ordinated closely with the Arab League, with neighbouring countries and with countries and partners from the region - is evidently also the position shared by all other foreign ministers."
  • Embargoed: 28th March 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Hungary, Hungary
  • City:
  • Country: Hungary
  • Topics: Information
  • Reuters ID: LVADZ7H1RT3ZJ42NPR2MERVUYDDQ
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: Germany's Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle told reporters on Saturday (March 12) that technological expertise and specialist aid had been offered to Japan following a devastating earthquake there.
    The 8.9-magnitude earthquake -- the strongest recorded in Japan -- sent a 10-metre (33-foot) high tsunami ripping through towns and cities across the northeast coast on Friday (March 11). Japanese media estimate that at least 1,300 people were killed.
    "We are not just offering humanitarian aid but we are also offering specialist aid using our technological expertise so that the effects of this earthquake catastrophe can be lessened," Westerwelle said on the sidelines of an informal meeting of European Union Foreign Ministers in Hungary.
    He also said Germany has issued a travel warning to its citizens for the northeast of Japan.
    The international community has started to send disaster relief teams, including a team from the United Nations to help co-ordinate work.
    A spokeswoman of the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), told Reuters that nine experts in dealing with catastrophes were in the process of being deployed to evaluate needs and coordinate assistance with Japanese authorities.
    The team of U.N. disaster relief officials includes several Japanese speakers and an environmental expert, she said.
    When asked about military intervention in Libya, Westerwelle called for cautious approach and said all actions had to be co-ordinated with the Arab League.
    "The position which we Germans have - that everything else which happens beyond from sanctions must be co-ordinated closely with the Arab League, with neighbouring countries and with countries and partners from the region - is evidently also the position shared by all other foreign ministers," he said on the sidelines of the summit.
    Berlin has been more cautious on the rebels than French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who said the European Union should recognise them. He wants defensive air strikes against Gaddafi's forces if they use chemical weapons or warplanes on civilians.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register