India turns down US offer of quake aid
India has turned down a US offer of assistance for the victims of the weekend’s earthquake, saying the country has enough resources, the Press Trust of India news agency reported today.
US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld made the offer to his Indian counterpart Pranab Mukherjee in a phone conversation late yesterday, PTI quoted an Indian Defence Ministry spokesman as saying.
Some 1,300 people were killed in Indian-controlled Kashmir in the quake and thousands more left homeless. In neighbouring Pakistan more than 20,000 are dead.
According to the spokesman, Mukherjee described the situation in Indian areas as “under control” and thanked Rumsfeld for the offer.
Mukherjee also briefed Rumsfeld on Indian aid being sent to Pakistan, a long-time rival of India, PTI reported.
India is scheduled to send some 25 tonnes of aid for Pakistan by a transport plane later today.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh yesterday announced five billion rupees (€92.8m) in assistance to the stricken regions, adding to the1.42 billion rupees (€26.3m) promised earlier by his government or relief and rehabilitation.
