Australia thanks Indonesia for aid

The Jakarta Post | Thu, 02/19/2009 6:56 PM  

Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith has expressed gratitude to Indonesia for its assistance for victims of deadly bush fires in the Australian state of Victoria. 

The Indonesian aid worth US$1 million would be used to reconstruct school buildings destroyed in the bush fires, Smith said in a joint press conference with his Indonesian counterpart, Hassan Wirajuda, in Sydney late Thursday. 

State news agency Antara reported that Wirajuda on behalf of the Indonesian government and people meanwhile had extended deep condolences to the Australian government and people over the bush fires which claimed at least 200 lives. 

He said the Indonesian aid consisting of US$1 million in cash and a police forensic team showed Indonesia’s deep sympathy for Australia which had much assisted the former in handling victims of the 2004 deadly tsunami in Aceh, the 2005 earthquake in Nias island and the 2006 earthquake in Yogyakarta. 

"The aid of US$1 million is relatively small but at least it shows Indonesia’s solidarity for the Australian people. Of course, the Indonesian people still well keep in mind the Australian aid for victims of the Aceh tsunami, the Nias earthquake and the Yogyakarta earthquake," he said. 

The bush fires which are the worst to hit Australia since 1983 also destroyed more than 1,800 house buildings and 450,000 hectares of farm land.