A Brazilian air force plane is to depart Friday night from Galeao Airport of Rio de Janeiro for Medan of Indonesia, carrying six tons of medicine and nine tons of water for the victims of the Dec. 26 tsunami.

Also on board is a team of experts of the armed forces and the ministries of Health, Agriculture and Foreign Affairs. Their mission is to assess the most urgent needs of the survivors and guide the actions of the Brazilian government in the region.

This is the third batch of cargo sent by the Brazilian government to the tsunami-devastated countries. With Friday's shipment, Brazil's aid materials to Asian countries totaled 92 tons.

The financial value was not estimated by the authorities, although the air transportation expenses alone amounted to 1.2 million US dollars.

Meanwhile, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva held a meeting with Defense Minister Jose Alencar and Jorge Felix, chief of Institutional Security Cabinet, to discuss the possibility of increasing assistance to the affected countries.

Reports said Brazil will send an aircraft carrier with 1,200 men of the navy, troops of the Army Engineers Battalion and helicopters to the affected area.

On Tuesday, general Jorge Felix will represent Brazil at the meeting of donor countries, organized by the United Nations at Geneva, Switzerland. The meeting will decide on new donations and also the possibility of moratorium of debts of countries affected by the catastrophe.

(Xinhua News Agency January 8, 2005)