Leaders from countries which lost some of their own in last month's tragedy have come together to pay tribute to the many victims. Fresh from visits to Thailand and Sri Lanka, top officials from Scandinavia, Canada and the US underlined the need for financial assistance, as well as an early warning system.
The prime ministers of Sweden, Norway and Finland visited a Thai Buddhist temple in Phuket, Thailand. The temple has been turned into a mortuary where forensics experts work to identify bodies from Khao Lak. Hundreds of people including Scandinavians died in this popular family resort. Swedish Prime Minister Goran Persson said he welcomed Thailand's plan to launch an investigation related to the warning for the disaster. The countries also discussed how they could help each other to build an early warning system in Thailand.
Meanwhile, in Kalmunai, Sri Lanka, Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin visited a makeshift cemetery. He joined others in a minute of silence to remember the victims of the tsunami. After talking to local people, Martin called for direct aid to the most needy victims.
Also in Sri Lanka, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz surveyed the damage in Galle, in the south of the country. He said Sri Lanka was on the road to recovery, and that US troops will leave as soon as their assistance is no longer needed.
(CCTV.com January 18, 2005)
