U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell declared that the United States "will certainly not turn away from those in desperate need" as he works with Asian leaders to speed up relief efforts in the tsunami disaster. Accompanied by the president's brother, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, the secretary of state Tuesday stressed a two-prong commitment of U.S. financial and military support to help the region recover. Thailand's foreign minister, Surakiart Sathirathai, said the Thai government would welcome U.S. technical assistance to build an early warning system to guard against tsunamis in the Indian Ocean and South China Sea. "We are in solidarity with you as you deal with this crisis," Powell responded at a news conference. "The aftermath of the tsunami is a tragedy for the entire the world, and the United States will certainly not turn away from those in desperate need," said Powell. The relief effort for countries devastated by the undersea earthquake and killer waves is going well, Powell said as he visited Thailand. The trip also will take him to Indonesia and Sri Lanka. The three countries suffered the heaviest damage and loss of life. With international government donations and pledges totaling some $2 billion, Powell said a main focus was on spending the money wisely. He said he wanted a firsthand look before recommending to the president what the United States should do next. Jeb Bush is also leading the team of U.S. aid and disaster experts scouting the region with Powell. The president's brother noted that his state of Florida had suffered four hurricanes. "We share this experience," he said, adding that the American people want to offer a helping hand. Powell will represent the United States at an international conference in Jakarta. That conference will provide an opportunity to iron out any problems coordinating aid and recovery efforts among the many countries and organizations participating, he said. "But right now I would say things are going exceptionally well when you consider we're only eight days into this," he said.
