Brussels, 24/10/2011 (Agence Europe) - The European Union has sent condolences to the Turkish authorities and to the families of the victims of the powerful earthquake which shook the country on Sunday 23 October, and stands ready to provide aid should Turkey request assistance. Offers of aid have poured in, particularly from Germany, but for the moment Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tyyip Erdogan says that his country can deal with the situation.
As soon as news broke of the disaster on Sunday evening, at the same time as EU heads of state and government were meeting, European Council President Herman Van Rompuy and European Commission President issued a joint statement: “We are greatly saddened by the news of the terrible earthquake that has struck the Van province in Southeast Turkey. Our thoughts are with the injured and the families of the victims and we should like to convey our condolences to the people and authorities of Turkey.”
European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek said: “Unfortunately, yet again Turkey has experienced a terrible catastrophe. Our thoughts are with those who have lost their loved ones, homes and possessions in this huge natural disaster. We offer our condolences and words of solidarity to the families of the victims and the Turkish population as a whole. We wish that all those who were injured a full and speedy recovery”.
On behalf of the EU, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton said in a statement published on Monday 24 October that she had already expressed her condolences to the Turkish authorities and “offered to provide any assistance they might need”.
According to provisional figures, the earthquake, measuring 7.3 on the Richter scale, has resulted in the deaths of over 200 people and injured around 140 more, with hundreds still missing. Damage has been widespread and considerable.
European International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva has also sent her condolences to the families of the victims and to the Turkish people. As is usual in such circumstances, the EU civil protection mechanism has been triggered, should the Turkish authorities formally submit a request for EU assistance to the Commission's Monitoring and Information Centre (MIC) which is responsible for matching offers of help with requests for aid. (AN/transl.rt)