Putin suggests further Russian aid for tsunami victims

Russian President Vladimir Putin has suggested that his country will extend further aid to victims of the devastating earthquake and subsequently tidal waves hittingSouth and Southeast Asia on Dec. 26.

In a message sent to British Prime Minister Tony Blair on coordination of international relief efforts for the catastrophe, Putin said that Russia will further contribute to the work of dealing with the consequences of catastrophe.

In addition to the aid to the tsunami victims, the overall amount of Russian assistance will be 33 million US dollars, which has been the largest amount of aid ever extended by Russia in its history of aiding nations affected by disasters, according to the president.

In the message, Putin called on Blair to coordinate efforts forrelief and reconstruction in the areas devastated by the Indian Ocean tsunami, the Kremlin press service was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying on Saturday.

"The primary goal now is to ensure as much efficient coordination of the international community's activities on providing aid to the disaster-stricken regions as possible," Putinsaid.

Putin said in the letter that "the UN, its specialized agenciesand international financial institutions should play a key role inthis work."

"At the same time, the Group of Eight (G8) comprising the leading industrial nations, which are the major donors of the efforts to overcome the aftermath of the disaster, can and must wield all its authority and influence to support the internationalcommunity's efforts," Putin said.

So far, over 160,000 people are known to have been killed in the Dec. 26 tsunamis that swept across the Asian countries in the Indian Ocean rim. The tsunamis triggered by a huge earthquake off Sumatra, Indonesia, were so powerful that they reached the coasts of a number of East African countries.

Source: Xinhua