ANKARA (AA) - Amount of aid made through official and civilian canals in Turkey reached 9 million U.S. dollars, Turkish Foreign Ministry sources said on Tuesday.
Sources said Turkey was among the first countries in international community giving a helping hand following the disaster in Southeastern Asia on December 26th, caused by quake and tidal waves.
Sources said the Turkish government sent 1.250 million U.S. dollars financial aid to governments of Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Maldives and Malaysia, noting, ''in addition to this, the government sent 20,000 U.S. dollars to Somalia, and 10,000 U.S. dollars to Seychelles though UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
Turkey, in addition to this aid, continues efforts to send military cargo plane loaded with emergency humanitarian aid equipment to Indonesia and Sri Lanka which were seriously affected by the natural disaster.
The planes are expected to carry medical aid equipment and materials, medicine, foodstuff and water purification materials next week. The aid operation is expected to reach half a million U.S. dollars.
Within the framework of a wide scale campaign launched by Turkish Red Crescent Association Directorate General, approximately 2.6 million YTL was collected in the bank accounts.
Separately, Prime Ministry Emergency Management Directorate General, Foreign Ministry personnel, Ankara Ready-wear industrialists, Health Ministry, and many other institutions and ministries launched aid campaigns.
Meanwhile, an 13-people Red Crescent team comprised of 11 experts and two volunteers continue efforts in Southeastern Asia within the framework of humanitarian aid activities that will last for five months.
Teams of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), Search and Rescue Ecology Group (GEA) and Lions Fight Against Natural Disaster team (LIDAM) currently continue efforts in Sri Lanka.
(AY-A֩
2005-01-11