Germany plans massive boost to tsunami aid - Schroeder

[kskiska]

BERLIN, Jan 4 (Reuters) - German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said on Tuesday Berlin would increase its planned aid to the Asian tsunami victims, but did not confirm a report it would rise to as much as 500 million euros ($680 million).

A government source earlier told Reuters Germany would boost its present contribution of 20 million euros to the relief effort to 500 million. The cabinet was due to meet on Wednesday to discuss the increase.

Schroeder told Germany's ARD television: "Tomorrow I will suggest a sum to the cabinet which will show we want to be involved in the long term, and the sum will be much higher than offered at present."

"It will be a significant sum, and speculation about how high it will be is not completely wrong but I don't want to confirm anything," Schroeder said, adding the 20 million euros made available for immediate help, was not sufficient to fund long-term redevelopment.

more…
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L0485559.htm

[gnofg]

1. o'reilly

Did anyone see that jackass last night saying that our individual contributions should be counted with our gov't expenditure. What is with these people? Biggest bunch of whiners with the worst persecution complex I've ever seen. If they ever face half the prejudice that Blacks faced they would be crying. What a bunch of wimps.

[lebkuchen]

3. Half the prejudice?

one nanosecond is more like it

[Kellanved]

7. Does he think individuals in other countries do not contribute?

:shrug:

[Igel]

8. They don't; or at least didn't.

Europeans at least until the early 90s didn't contribute nearly as much (per capita) as people in the US did, both for overseas as well as domestic causes. At least on average, I'm not sure that I saw the figures for each country in Europe. This event may be an exception.

The rational at the time was that they expected the government to both take care of domestic as well as international needs.

[Kellanved]

10. Such statistics are difficult to compare

For instance the US statistic has donations paid to Churches listed as individual donation, while the church tax in some European countries is not considered a donation.

Several countries in Europe pride themselves to be "World Champions" in donating to charitable causes.

The current private donations in Germany for tsunami relief are in the €200 million ballpark.

[neweurope]

11. Not true. "Doctors without Borders Germany" alone got

17,5 Million Euros last year - and that's only one organization and not even the best known. For the tsunami victims the organization was given 20 Million Euro by citizens within the last nine days!

[lebkuchen]

2. Damn! 500 million euros in US dollars tops Japan's top offer

and leaves the US in the dust, to the tune of $673,600,000, nearly doubling the US's last offer, thanks to the dollar v. euro exchange rate.

Go Germany!

[Gothmog]

4. Bush up contribution after France topped us

This may put pressure on the US to up the aid.

[progressiveBadger]

5. excellent

Let them perform a "bidding war". Anything so that more money goes to these poor people. If we can spend another $100 billion in Iraq, we can certainly afford more.

[Kellanved]

6. I don't think it is a "bidding" competition

Japan and Germany both are campaigning to gain permanent seats in the UN Security Council.

[Igel]

9. And, in any event,

the death figures and damage figures have been skyrocketing. No need to posit a bidding war, just common sense. (Which is more likely? Can't tell.)

Early on, low death/damage figures, lots of single and low double-digit contributions. Increase death/damage amount by a factor of 10, expect contributions to increase.

[Kellanved]

12. Update: Now it's official: The Cabinet has decided to give €500M

http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,1564,1448532,00.html

[neweurope]

13. You're really quick :)

I just wanted to post that.


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