UN offers to help overwhelmed US cope with Katrina

By Irwin Arieff

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – The United Nations on Thursday
offered to help the United States provide disaster relief to
the victims of Hurricane Katrina as the storm’s devastation
challenged the U.S. authorities’ ability to cope.

While the United States is the country best prepared to
deal with such a disaster, “the sheer size of this emergency
makes it possible that we can supplement the American response
with supplies from other countries, or with experience we have
gained in other relief operations,” U.N. Secretary-General Kofi
Annan said.

“I know we will not be alone. We will be happy to work with
other parts of the international community to support the
efforts of President Bush and his administration, the American
Red Cross, and other U.S. relief organizations who have been
our partners in the past,” Annan said in a statement.

The United Nations has taken the lead in coordinating
natural disaster relief around the world for the past five
decades. But its focus has been mainly on poor nations.

U.N. assistance was first offered to Washington on
Wednesday by Emergency Relief Coordinator Jan Egeland, who led
the global aid effort after December’s Indian Ocean tsunami.

But U.S. officials, while thanking the world body for its
offer, did not request any assistance at that time.

More recently, however, U.S. officials have signaled they
were open to all offers as dozens of foreign governments lined
up to pledge assistance.

“Anything that can be of help to alleviate the tragic
situation of the area affected by Hurricane Katrina will be
accepted,” State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said in
Washington.

“America should be heartened by the fact that the world is
reaching out to America at a time of need.”

Annan, in a statement, said the storm damage was turning
out “far worse than any of us imagined at first.”

“The American people, who have always been the most
generous in responding to disasters in other parts of the
world, have now themselves suffered a grievous blow,” he said.

“I know that I speak for the whole world in offering them
my heartfelt sympathy and any assistance that the United
Nations can give,” Annan said. “We will be happy to work with
other parts of the international community to support the
efforts of President Bush and his administration, the American
Red Cross, and other U.S. relief organizations who have been
our partners in the past.”