EU POLICY CHIEF CONVEYS CONDOLENCES TO PEOPLE & COUNTRIES AFFECTED BY

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 1 (Bernama) -- European Union (EU)High Representative for
the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), Javier Solana, has conveyed his
condolences to those affected by the natural diasters across Southeast Asia and
the South Pacific.

"I am greatly saddened by the news of the terrible natural disasters that
have struck the Pacific over the past few days.

"My thoughts are with the injured and the families of the victims. I convey
my condolences to the people and the authorities of Indonesia, the Philippines,
the Samoa Islands, Tonga and Vietnam," he said in a statement issued from
Brussels.

Solana said that the EU and its member states are mobilising to provide
relief and have already earmarked a considerable amount for aid to the region.

The natural disasters which occurred over the past few days had resulted in
hundreds of deaths and trapped thousands under collapsed buildings.

More than a hundred people were reported to have been killed and many more
injured after a powerful earthquake triggered a tsunami that caused devastation
in the south Pacific islands of Samoa and American Samoa while tropical typoon
Ketsana which hit the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos had caused almost
400 deaths, reports said.

On Wednesday, two powerful earthquakes rocked Sumatra in Indonesia and
killed between 215 to 500 people so far, reports said.
-- BERNAMA