US pledges cooperation in relief operation
Tuesday, 27 November 2007
A coordination meeting on conducting Bangladesh-US joint relief operation in the cyclone-hit areas was held Monday at the Army Headquarters in the city, where the American side offered to extend all-out cooperation in the humanitarian task, report agencies.
"During the meeting, the US and the Bangladeshi officials agreed on plans to increase delivery of aid to the cyclone-hit regions in the coming days," said a US embassy spokesman.
Army Chief General Moeen U Ahmed chaired the meeting, which discussed issues like providing all-out cooperation to the Bangladesh army, transport facility, supplying pure drinking water in the cyclone-hit areas, and sending medical team and medicine for free from the USA during the relief operation.
US Embassy Chargé d'Affaires Geeta Pasi and 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade commander Brigadier General Ronald L Bailey and other high army officials were present at the talks, ISPR said.
High officials of the Bangladesh Army, including Principal Staff Officer of the Armed Forces Division Lt General Masud Uddin Chowdhury and Chief of General Staff of Bangladesh Army Major General Sina Ibne Jamali, were also present.
Meantime, an American KC-130 aircraft arrived at the Zia International Airport (ZIA) Monday to begin delivering more water-purification systems to affected areas.
In future, the United States plans to assist in the airlifting of 160 tonnes of goods from existing Bangladesh government supplies, the US embassy said.
The US warship USS Kearsarge continued to reach more areas with much-needed fresh water. Troops from the Kearsarge Monday used helicopters to begin airlifting 5,000 refillable 5.5-gallon water containers to various locations, including Dublar Char, Bagherat and Barguna districts.
"In addition, a US Army medical team, which has been in-country since early November providing medical support as part of a separate
programme, has been deployed to the Patukhali area along with medics from the Kearsarge to provide additional medical support to overstretched Bangladeshi resources there," said the American mission.
In the coming days, this medical team plans to visit four different locations in the affected area to provide medical assistance, it added.
The USS Kearsarge, currently off the coast of Bangladesh, is playing a primary role in supporting the US assistance mission.
"The USNS Concord is in the vicinity of Bangladesh and has re-supplied the Kearsarge, while the USS Essex, originally intended to support the Kearsarge, will instead continue with its scheduled plans," said the embassy in a release.
In another report, Foreign Affairs Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury Monday said US warship USS Kearsarge has come to Bangladesh solely for relief operations.
The adviser, however, ducked repeated questions on whether the US ship had arrived in Bangladesh at the request of the caretaker government.
"During the meeting, the US and the Bangladeshi officials agreed on plans to increase delivery of aid to the cyclone-hit regions in the coming days," said a US embassy spokesman.
Army Chief General Moeen U Ahmed chaired the meeting, which discussed issues like providing all-out cooperation to the Bangladesh army, transport facility, supplying pure drinking water in the cyclone-hit areas, and sending medical team and medicine for free from the USA during the relief operation.
US Embassy Chargé d'Affaires Geeta Pasi and 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade commander Brigadier General Ronald L Bailey and other high army officials were present at the talks, ISPR said.
High officials of the Bangladesh Army, including Principal Staff Officer of the Armed Forces Division Lt General Masud Uddin Chowdhury and Chief of General Staff of Bangladesh Army Major General Sina Ibne Jamali, were also present.
Meantime, an American KC-130 aircraft arrived at the Zia International Airport (ZIA) Monday to begin delivering more water-purification systems to affected areas.
In future, the United States plans to assist in the airlifting of 160 tonnes of goods from existing Bangladesh government supplies, the US embassy said.
The US warship USS Kearsarge continued to reach more areas with much-needed fresh water. Troops from the Kearsarge Monday used helicopters to begin airlifting 5,000 refillable 5.5-gallon water containers to various locations, including Dublar Char, Bagherat and Barguna districts.
"In addition, a US Army medical team, which has been in-country since early November providing medical support as part of a separate
programme, has been deployed to the Patukhali area along with medics from the Kearsarge to provide additional medical support to overstretched Bangladeshi resources there," said the American mission.
In the coming days, this medical team plans to visit four different locations in the affected area to provide medical assistance, it added.
The USS Kearsarge, currently off the coast of Bangladesh, is playing a primary role in supporting the US assistance mission.
"The USNS Concord is in the vicinity of Bangladesh and has re-supplied the Kearsarge, while the USS Essex, originally intended to support the Kearsarge, will instead continue with its scheduled plans," said the embassy in a release.
In another report, Foreign Affairs Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury Monday said US warship USS Kearsarge has come to Bangladesh solely for relief operations.
The adviser, however, ducked repeated questions on whether the US ship had arrived in Bangladesh at the request of the caretaker government.