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In an accelerating drive, more than 50 countries have pledged money or other assistance to help Americans recover from Hurricane Katrina.The pledges blur political lines.
Cuba and Venezuela have offered to help despite differences with Washington. Oil giant Saudi Arabia and small countries like Sri Lanka and Dominica are among the nations making pledges.
"I hope that will remind Americans that we are all part of the same community," Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Friday as offers kept pouring in.
None has been turned down, Rice said at a news conference, disputing a report from Moscow that a Russian offer had been rejected. However, she said some offers were being taken up immediately and others "somewhat later," depending on the needs on the ground.
Rice singled out Sri Lanka for praise for making a contribution even as it struggles to recover from the tsunami and earthquake disaster of last December.
And she said contributions from poor countries were being accepted because "it is very valuable for people being able to give to each other and to be able to do so without a sense of means."
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By Friday, offers had been received from Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Belgium, Britain, Canada, China, Colombia, Cuba, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, France, Germany, Greece, Georgia, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Paraguay, the Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Venezuela and the United Arab Emirates.
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Europe will dip into its emergency stocks of gasoline to help the United States through an energy crisis triggered by Hurricane Katrina smashing into Gulf Coast refiners, EU governments said on Friday.France, Germany, Spain and Italy declared they were ready to send fuel across the Atlantic in an operation coordinated by the West's energy watchdog, the International Energy Agency (IEA).
The Paris-based IEA announced its members would release two million barrels per day (bpd) of oil over an initial period of 30 days.
About half that will be gasoline from European refiners that will roughly match output lost from the Gulf Coast's battered refineries. The remainder will be crude from U.S. reserves.
It's wonderful to see so many countries offering us help now that we so desperately need it. The United States has always been very generous in helping other countries that have fallen victim to natural disasters. It's nice to know that they are willing to help us in our time of need, as well.
Article comments
1 - Matthew T. Sussman
Did Poland forget us?
2 - RJ
Heh. I was waiting for that. :-/
3 - D L Ennis
This is wonderful!
D L
4 - funtalkermitts
I'd REALLY like to know what all of the television EVANGELISTS/CON ARTISTS have done for Katrina Victims who donated hard earned money to them over these past many years?
I don't hear their voices being lifted or read of their bank accounts being emptied to help out their own????????
So maybe we may now all see them for what they really are - FRAUDS and PAT ROBERTSON, has to be one of thw worst kind.
5 - Heloise
Coffee and OJ at Cafe du Monde
I too am happy to hear that the rest of the world has not forgotten us. And when NOLA is rebuilt they should join us for the best coffee and OJ at a place called Cafe du Monde which overlooks the river, and barges nearby.
You can walk along the riverwalk and sit on benches that used to be there. You can have benyets (sp) if you are not watching your weight. The smart people don't eat them for fear of the place not being so clean, if you know what I mean.
It may not have been clean but it was beautiful and outdoors underneath a huge roof. This is also across from nearby shops in the French Quarter. It was also a stone's throw from Jackson Square. The only other place I've found like it is the open market in Menton, France on the Cote d'Azur--in case you've been there.
My entire family met at the Cafe du Monde on the weekend of our family reunion in NOLA about 5 years ago.
We also had a picnic in Audobon Park, by taking the street cars down or up to uptown since it was convenient to do so.
I have to write to keep from crying. I plan to give not only to the Red Cross but also to Habitat for Humanity who promises some good ideas that will help in both the short and the long run. Also feed the children organization.
Heloise