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Asia-Pacific powers finalize disaster relief plan
(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-07-24 17:14 It said the ministers endorsed a proposal by the Philippines and the United States to conduct an ASEAN Regional Forum disaster relief exercise in 2009. Potential sites and dates have been identified, as well as logistical procedures and requirements. The countries will develop guidelines for relief cooperation among the 27 parties, and explore the feasibility of deploying military resources to bolster civilian operations in disaster relief, the statement said. Yeo said the plan is to establish nodes in various countries and procedures governing the use of military resources. There is also talk of having "designated forces on standby readiness." "So that countries know that there are resources they can call for," he said. However, no aid can be forced on any country if it doesn't want. The ministerial statement reiterates that, in a bid to put at ease countries who fear that allowing foreign troops, even for relief work, would jeopardize their sovereignty. This was evident during the May 2 Cyclone Nargis that hit Myanmar, whose ruling government refused to allow foreign militaries including US troops to provide help. The government also faced international criticism for its slow response to the disaster that killed more than 84,000 people and left about 53,000 missing. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who attended the conference, slammed Myanmar for refusing international help at first when several countries including the United States were "sitting literally offshore" with ships loaded with aid. Rice praised ASEAN for forcing Myanmar's doors to open to aid. "That was a useful role, but it should never have happened in the first place," she said. In contrast, China moved swiftly when its Sichuan, Gansu and Shaanxi provinces were jolted by a 8.0 magnitude earthquake that killed 70,000 people and left 18,000 missing in May. The importance of military operations in disaster relief was made clear after the 2004 tsunami, when the US rushed troops, ships, aid and helicopters to Indonesia, the country hardest hit with more than 160,000 killed in Aceh province. |
