H
HagiaSophia
Guest
The meetings came after France, in particular, had grumbled over a U.S. official’s suggestion that France was not being particularly generous, and as President Jacques Chirac was reported to be growing increasingly concerned that U.S. aid efforts were designed to circumvent the United Nations in potentially damaging ways…"
."…But a German press account, the general outlines of which were confirmed by a French official, suggested that Chirac was concerned that the U.S. tsunami aid operation had sidestepped traditional UN channels. This followed a U.S. decision to form a separate aid coalition with Australia, Japan and India, all key regional powers with substantial resources.
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The account, in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, reported that Chirac, without openly criticizing the Bush administration, feared “that Washington is deliberately circumventing the United Nations and wants to compete with the international organization.”
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It said, without citing its sources, that “President Chirac wants to hinder America from using its ad hoc-organized aid operation to set a precedent that will lastingly weaken the role of the United Nations.”
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It quoted him as having said publicly that the tsunami had provided proof that the fate of all people “cannot be separated from that of our planet” and that global organizations like the UN must therefore be strengthened.
"…There had been earlier friction when the head of the U.S. Agency for International aid, Andrew Natsios, said in a television interview that “the aid program in France is not that big” and that the French “do not tend to be dominant figures in aid.”
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Ambassador Jean-David Levitte, in a letter of protest to Natsios, spoke of his “shocking and uncalled-for comments” and asked his reasons for “misguidedly impugning France.” Loiseau said that France had since provided aid figures to Natsios, who, he said, “maybe didn’t have the right figures.” The Foreign Ministry said that French development aid exceeded that of any other of the Group of Eight wealthy countries, including the United States, when expressed as a proportion of economic output…
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"…France, like the United States, has gradually stepped up its tsunami aid total. France said Monday that it was increasing aid to $66 million, which is triple its initial level…
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The European Commission has so far donated $45 million from the EU’s common budget, and has said $408 million is available. Among individual EU nations, Britain has pledged $95 million, Sweden $75.5 million and Spain $68 million.
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In addition, Luxembourg, which on Saturday assumed the rotating EU presidency, has summoned aid ministers of the 25 EU nations to a meeting Friday to review emergency aid and coordinate long-term reconstruction assistance.
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The United States on Friday offered up to $350 million, more than 20 times its initial total, which is second to Japan’s promise of $500 million.
iht.com/articles/2005/01/04/news/policy.html
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."…But a German press account, the general outlines of which were confirmed by a French official, suggested that Chirac was concerned that the U.S. tsunami aid operation had sidestepped traditional UN channels. This followed a U.S. decision to form a separate aid coalition with Australia, Japan and India, all key regional powers with substantial resources.
.
The account, in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, reported that Chirac, without openly criticizing the Bush administration, feared “that Washington is deliberately circumventing the United Nations and wants to compete with the international organization.”
.
It said, without citing its sources, that “President Chirac wants to hinder America from using its ad hoc-organized aid operation to set a precedent that will lastingly weaken the role of the United Nations.”
.
It quoted him as having said publicly that the tsunami had provided proof that the fate of all people “cannot be separated from that of our planet” and that global organizations like the UN must therefore be strengthened.
"…There had been earlier friction when the head of the U.S. Agency for International aid, Andrew Natsios, said in a television interview that “the aid program in France is not that big” and that the French “do not tend to be dominant figures in aid.”
.
Ambassador Jean-David Levitte, in a letter of protest to Natsios, spoke of his “shocking and uncalled-for comments” and asked his reasons for “misguidedly impugning France.” Loiseau said that France had since provided aid figures to Natsios, who, he said, “maybe didn’t have the right figures.” The Foreign Ministry said that French development aid exceeded that of any other of the Group of Eight wealthy countries, including the United States, when expressed as a proportion of economic output…
.
"…France, like the United States, has gradually stepped up its tsunami aid total. France said Monday that it was increasing aid to $66 million, which is triple its initial level…
.
The European Commission has so far donated $45 million from the EU’s common budget, and has said $408 million is available. Among individual EU nations, Britain has pledged $95 million, Sweden $75.5 million and Spain $68 million.
.
In addition, Luxembourg, which on Saturday assumed the rotating EU presidency, has summoned aid ministers of the 25 EU nations to a meeting Friday to review emergency aid and coordinate long-term reconstruction assistance.
.
The United States on Friday offered up to $350 million, more than 20 times its initial total, which is second to Japan’s promise of $500 million.
iht.com/articles/2005/01/04/news/policy.html
.
