The European Union (EU) said on Friday that it was prepared to provide oil to the United States if the latter asked for help in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

Speaking to reporters in an EU foreign ministers' informal meeting in Newport, Wales, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said, "We are in contact with them and whatever they ask for will be given, from reserves of oil that different countries have provided, to any other thing that they may need," according to the Sky News.

Oil was one way the European countries would help the United States, Solana said.

His comment appeared to contradict British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, who told reporters that was not what the EU ministers had in mind.

Straw said the ministers were considering disaster relief and humanitarian aid rather than oil, for which there was an international market.

The EU foreign ministers are gathering for a two-day informal meeting on Thursday and Friday.

Source: Xinhua