By Irwin Arieff
UNITED NATIONS, Sept 1 (Reuters) - The United Nations on Thursday offered to help the United States provide disaster relief to the victims of Hurricane Katrina as the storm's devastation challenged the U.S. authorities' ability to cope.
While the United States is the country best prepared to deal with such a disaster, "the sheer size of this emergency makes it possible that we can supplement the American response with supplies from other countries, or with experience we have gained in other relief operations," U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said.
"I know we will not be alone. We will be happy to work with other parts of the international community to support the efforts of President Bush and his administration, the American Red Cross, and other U.S. relief organizations who have been our partners in the past," Annan said in a statement.
The United Nations has taken the lead in coordinating natural disaster relief around the world for the past five decades. But its focus has been mainly on poor nations. (emphasis mine)
U.N. assistance was first offered to Washington on Wednesday by Emergency Relief Coordinator Jan Egeland, who led the global aid effort after December's Indian Ocean tsunami.
But U.S. officials, while thanking the world body for its offer, did not request any assistance at that time.
More recently, however, U.S. officials have signaled they were open to all offers as dozens of foreign governments lined up to pledge assistance.
"Anything that can be of help to alleviate the tragic situation of the area affected by Hurricane Katrina will be accepted," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said in Washington.
"America should be heartened by the fact that the world is reaching out to America at a time of need."
Annan, in a statement, said the storm damage was turning out "far worse than any of us imagined at first."
"The American people, who have always been the most generous in responding to disasters in other parts of the world, have now themselves suffered a grievous blow," he said.
"I know that I speak for the whole world in offering them my heartfelt sympathy and any assistance that the United Nations can give," Annan said. "We will be happy to work with other parts of the international community to support the efforts of U.S. President George W. Bush and his administration, the American Red Cross, and other U.S. relief organizations who have been our partners in the past."
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