Today's Date:

Hurricane Katrina

French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy Press Release

Paris, September 4, 2005

The American authorities have confirmed that they welcome our offer of assistance following hurricane Katrina, and they expressed their gratitude.

I called for a meeting of the operational emergency humanitarian group today. This meeting took place and included a representative of the American Embassy in Paris and a representative of the French Red Cross.

I confirmed our readiness to provide United States with all the prepositioned humanitarian action supplies available in Martinique and designed for that kind of emergency situation (tents, blankets, cots, ground sheets, cooking kits).

To that end, there should be a first departure of manpower and freight from Fort-de-France within the next 24 hours, and the rest should be dispatched within 48 hours.

Moreover, the French Red Cross is providing the American Red Cross with 12 logistics experts.

Lastly, the French company Veolia is ready to offer water transportation trucks from its facilities in Houston.

Regarding French and European nationals, a first consular mission is going today to New Orleans in order to accelerate our search efforts. Another mission of the same type left Atlanta this morning and is heading to the southern Mississippi area.