ANKARA, Jan 6 (AFP) - Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Thursday that he was planning to visit Asian countries devastating by last month's tsunami disaster.
"I deem it a duty to meet the presidents and prime ministers of all the countries in the region and visit the affected areas," Erdogan was quoted by the Anatolia news agency as saying while on a visit to the northeastern city of Rize.
"I believe I could go at the end of the month," he added.
Turkey, which has itself suffered from natural disasters, has allocated 1.25 million dollars for catastrophe victims while a public appeal has so far raised 1,330,000 new Turkish lira (YTL), the equivalent of 722,000 euros (985,000 dollars)
One Turkish national has so far been confirmed dead while nine others remain unaccounted for after the tidal wave disaster.
01/06/2005 16:21 GMT - AFP