Chinese PM outlines 5-point strategy for quake relief

MOSCOW—Describing relations between Pakistan and China as all-weather friendship, Premier Wen Jiabao Thursday outlined a five-point programme for the rescue and relief efforts for the victims of Oct. 8 earthquake, during a meeting with Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz here.
“We believe that under the Pakistani leadership the people will be able to overcome this catastrophe,” Wen Jiabao said, adding, China would do whatever necessary to help Pakistan in this very difficult period.
The two Prime Ministers were in the Russian capital to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) meeting, also attended by the leaders of member and observer states.
Prime Minister Wen Jiabao announced an additional grant assistance of around US 14 million dollars for immediate rescue and relief measures for Pakistan, raising the total amount given by China to US 20 million dollars.
The amount of financial assistance is besides the relief goods comprising tents, blankets, medicines, food, medical and relief teams sent earlier.
The new Chinese assistance was for the rescue and relief efforts as the Chinese Premier assured all support in the second phase of reconstruction and rehabilitation.
He said a second medical team would be arriving in Pakistan on Friday to provide treatment to thousands of injured due to the worst earthquake that hit the country in a century.
As part of the 5-point programme, China would send a fact-finding mission to assess the reconstruction and rehabilitation requirement in the quake affected areas and extend financial assistance for this purpose.
The Chinese Premier said China would also help Pakistan set up a modern seismic centre to assess earthquakes and to help the country with latest seismic technology.
China will also help Pakistan train people to set up a National Rescue and Disaster Management Authority to cope with such calamities.
The Chinese Premier said the two countries have strategic cooperation and China would support Pakistan in every possible way to help it handle the situation following the earthquake.
He said every Chinese home has felt that their good friends have suffered by the massive tragedy.
Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz thanked the Chinese premier for his support and said Pakistan was facing a unique and unprecedented situation. He briefed him about the extent of damages and how the government was coping with the tragedy.
He said Pakistan-China strategic cooperation and friendship were a source of strength for every Pakistani. China has always stood by Pakistan in its hour of need and Pakistan was proud of its friendship with China,” he added.
Prime Minister Aziz also informed him about the international donors conference to be held in Pakistan on Nov 18 to assess the requirement for the reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts.
The Prime Minister emphasized that it was not mere repair but rebuilding effort as the October 8 quake has destroyed entire infrastructure in the affected areas of Azad Kashmir and the NWFP.
The Chinese premier recalled his visit to Pakistan and said the warm welcome accorded to him was a manifestation of the strong relations between the two countries. He said every Chinese house has felt the pain of sufferings of the Pakistani people due to the devastating earthquake and reiterated his country’s full support to Pakistan withstand the after-effects of this catastrophe.
The two leaders also discussed overall bilateral relations and global issues, with a regional perspective. Minister for Information Sheikh Rashid Ahmed and Foreign Minister Khurshid M Kasuri were also present.
In Bejing, the Chinese government announced to provide additional emergency supply of tents, blankets and stoves worth dollar 561,730 to help quake’s victims in Pakistan. “Given the emergency of the disaster relief effort, China commits to deliver this batch of goods within one week ... to the people in need,” it was officially stated in Beijing.
China had also contributed 500,000 US dollars at the UN-sponsored donors meeting held in Geneva on Wednesday.—APP