Tsunami offers NZ chance to secure role in Asia, says Clark

A greater sense of regional solidarity with tsunami-hit South East Asia could be a positive aspect to the disaster that has hit the region, Prime Minister Helen Clark said today.

Miss Clark flew out for Jakarta, Indonesia, for an emergency summit organised by the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean).

The summit was organised at short notice initially to get pledges of aid following the Boxing Day tusunami which has left more than 150,000 people dead, many more missing, and millions homeless.

In recent days billions of dollars have been pledged to disaster relief including New Zealand yesterday doubling its cash contribution to $10 million on top of other assistance.

Helen Clark said the conference would give New Zealand and other countries a better idea of both the short-term needs and the long term requirements for reconstruction of the area.

"New Zealand is a pretty small niche player in this. So we have to work out what is the best way of us making a contribution.

"Is it by moving some of our aid programme into Aceh itself? I almost certainly think we will need to increase our programme to Indonesia."

Indonesian province Aceh in the north of the island of Sumatra was worst-hit by the tsunami.

"I think increasingly there is a willingness to see New Zealand and Australia as part of the broader region. I am honoured that we got the invitation. I think it is very significant," the Prime Minister said.

" I think there is an awareness that we are a good neighbour.'

The one possible upside of the disaster would be a greater sense of unity between Asian countries and the rest of the world.

"It reminds us that we are neighbours, a regional community. Out of it might come a stronger feeling of regional solidarity. That is what we can hope for anyway."

Foreign Minister Phil Goff, who will attend the conference after a visit to disaster-affected southern Thailand, said the one day conference would look at the long term reconstruction effort and the need for an early warning tsunami alert system in the area.

US Secretary of State Colin Powell, Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabo and United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan will also attend the meeting.

Since the summit was announced aid has poured into the affected areas faster than the countries' infrastructure can handle.

It is now expected that the summit will concentrate on longer term issues such as the reconstruction of devastated areas and the creation of a more effective tsunami warning system.

- NZPA