Blair delineates response to ‘global catastrophe’
The Prime Minister has spoken of his absolute horror at the “global catastrophe” which has devastated South East Asia.
The earthquake and resultant tsunami around the Indian Ocean last weekend has claimed the lives of more than 125,000 people from 11 countries including Indonesia, Thailand, India and Sri Lanka.
Many foreigners also lost their lives including 35 Britons.
Tony Blair told Channel Four News the terrible disaster and tragedy had grown into “a global catastrophe”.
“And it is not simply the absolute horror of what has happened and how many people’s lives have been touched in different ways, and even in our own country most of us know people who have in some way been touched by it,” he said.
Mr Blair – who as the British Prime Minister heads the G8 of industrial nations in 2005 – said the consequences of the tragedy were not just short term and immediate but long term.
He predicted a great deal of work had to be done by the international community “for months if not years to come”.
“It won’t just be immediate humanitarian assistance. We’ve got millions of people displaced, we’ve got the potential of disease coming from this and we’ve got whole areas of that region that will have to be rebuilt.”
Rejecting calls from Nigel Evans, Conservative Party vice-chairman, to cut short his holiday in the wake of the tragedy, Mr Blair said was in constant touch with developments and “actively involved” in the meetings with leaders on the aid effort.
Mr Blair rejected claims the US-led core group of nations willing to spearhead the aid effort was in conflict with the aims of the United Nations.
“We were aware obviously that this contact group was being established but when I spoke to President Bush a short time ago he made it very clear that he wanted the UN to be in the lead,” Mr Blair said.
Mr Blair said the US was happy to work in tandem with the UN.
“There have been issues about whether the G8 should take the lead on it, should it be the contact group, you’ve got all sorts of different forums and international bodies. My view very clearly from the very beginning has been that the UN should take the lead on this, that is the proper clearing house.”
Mr Blair also praised the “remarkable generosity” of Britons in contributing 60 million pounds to the aid effort.
