"Aid contributed by the Greek state, has already exceeded €1 million. I believe that by the end it will reach €3 million," Deputy Foreign Minister Evripidis Stylianidis said in comments he made on Tuesday during the telethon organized by Hellenic Broadcasting (ERT) and the Foreign Ministry.

Stylianidis, who is also responsible for the ministry's International Development Cooperation Service (YDAS) and for coordinating the relief efforts for the tsunami victims, added that Greece will also contribute within the context of international aid that will be decided in Brussels during an emergency council meeting that will be held later in the week.

The deputy minister will also be representing Greece at an upcoming conference of southeast African countries, in which affected countries will participate, during which the amount of aid these countries will receive to reconstruct their infrastructure will be determined.

Speaking of the needs of the tsunami victims, Stylianidis said that "we must send them water, tents - for the homeless - and medication as soon as possible," adding that Greece has already sent two tons of medication, while another 400 tons of humanitarian aid will be shipped to the region.

Regarding Greece's readiness to respond to emergency situations, Stylianidis said that "our country was one of the first to announce the first round of aid - by sending two C-130 aircraft to the region, one carrying a rescue team, and the other carrying members of six non-government organizations specializing in crisis management."

Source: Athens News Agency

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