Paul Wolfowitz, president of the World Bank and former US ambassador to Indonesia, has offered assistance to Indonesia to overcome bird flu epidemic that has so far killed 14 people in the country.

"President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Saturday received a telephone call from World Bank president Paul Wolfowitz who conveyed 'Happy Idul Fitri' greetings and congratulated him on his first anniversary as president. The two later discussed two issues namely cooperation to overcome bird flu and reconstruction process in Aceh," presidential spokesman Dino Patti Djalal said here on Tuesday.

President Yudhoyono welcomed the offer of assistance among others compensation for farmers whose poultry would be culled to prevent the spread of the bird flu, Antara news agency quoted the spokesman as saying.

"It will be followed up. Of course there will be compensation and other things. It is still being studied," he said.

The bird flu virus H5N1 is reported to have killed 63 people in four countries and has led to the culling of 150 million poultry across the world.

Regarding Aceh reconstruction Dino said President Yudhoyono had explained to Wolfowitz that the Indonesian government was focusing efforts especially on development of infrastructural facilities and houses for refugees now still in camps.

Over 220,000 people were killed after the province was hit by the December 26 tsunami last year.

Source: Xinhua