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MYxoywv ,-isw!.«..«*'-? PERMANENT MISSION OFSINGAPORE TO THE UNITED NATIONS>^n-^^^-.;Q^Vj^^^ '

231 EAST 51ST STREET. NEW YORK. N.Y. 10022 TEL. (212) 826-0840 - FAX (212) 826-2964

2 January 2005 E C E II ¥ Q H.E. Mr Kofi Annan JAN I 9 2005 Secretary-General

United Nations EXECUTIVE OFRCE - f 5-3. OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

Excellency

SINGAPORE'S OFFER OF SUPPORT TO THE UN'S DISASTER RELIEF AND RECONSTRUCTION EFFORTS ARISING FROM THE TSUNAMI OF 26 DEC 04

As the Permanent Representative of , Ambassador Vanu Gopala Menon, had promised,when he verbally conveyed to Your Excellency the Singapore Government's offer of facilities and available assets to assist the UN in this crucial effort, enclosed are two write-ups setting out Singapore's offer.

The relief effort team from Singapore along with its necessary assets has been in location for several days, working in coordination with the Indonesian relief authorities, and has helped to guide into place similar teams from other countries/agencies that are now arriving on the scene. We look forward to working with the UN relief team.

As we proceed with this important effort to address the natural calamity of 2004, may I take this opportunity to wish Your Excellency and Mrs Annan a more peaceful 2005 with better prospects for the United Nations and mankind.

Please accept, Your Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.

TAN YORK CHOR CHARGE D'AFFAIRES A.I. Jan O2 05 ll:33a SPR MISSION 212 B2G3332 p.2

c X

Singapore's Offer of Support to the UN's Disaster Relief and Reconstruction Efforts arising from the Tsunami of 26 Dec 04

We understand that the UN has assessed that Sumatra, and in particular northern Sumatra, is the area most critically in need of help. As there are bottlenecks in airports and ports in Sumatra, the UN is considering setting up staging areas in the region that can be used to relieve the bottlenecks and deliver aid directly to the affected areas. The UN would also require helicopters and helicopter carriers.

2 Use of Singapore's Air and Naval Bases. On 31 December 2004, Singapore offered to open its air and naval bases for use as additional staging and logistics points for bringing disaster relief supplies and aid into that part of Indonesia. Singapore's Minister for Defence made this offer after speaking to the Indonesian Defence Minister. We have had discussions on this with US, French, Australian and Japanese representatives in Singapore who had expressed some interest in making use of this offer. We are currently working with Indonesia to see how we can assist them in managing the aid supplies that are going in such as through air traffic control coordination to sequence the flights going in and out or through just-in-time planning assistance to hold the supplies in Singapore and sending them in as and when the airports and ports have the capacity.

3 We would be happy to make these bases available for the UN's disaster relief operations. Our Paya Lebar Air Base is capable of taking the largest transport aircraft such as C-5s, C-17s and B-747s, and short haul aircraft such as C-130s and helicopters. Our Naval Base can take alongside Aircraft Carriers and Helicopter Carriers and large logistics ships. We are also waiving all charges for the handling of relief supplies that conies through our ports.

4 Air Force Aircraft and Helicopter Carriers. We also currently have about 600 people deployed for disaster relief in Sumatra. As the UN has expressed the urgent need for helicopters and helicopter carriers, you might be interested in the following assets we have despatched :

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(a) two Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) Chinook heavy helicopters and 2 Super Puma medium helicopters currently operating in Medan and Banda Aceh carrying relief supplies from Medan and Banda Aceh into West Sumatra;

(b) RSAF C-130s have also been flying daily directly between Banda Aceh, Medan and Singapore carrying relief supplies and supporting our medical and disaster relief teams there,

(c) We have a 6000-ton helicopter landing ship that will arrive off West Sumatra on 2 January 2005. It can operate heavy and medium helicopters., has a well-dock for landing craft, and is carrying a medical and surgical team, relief supplies and bulldozers and other earth moving equipment.

5 These capabilities are the type that the UN has called for urgently. We currently have them in location and are working in coordination with the Indonesian relief authorities. We are also in close proximity to the affected areas, which can be reached in one hop from Singapore. We would be happy to see how these capabilities, and our Paya Lebar Air Base and Changi Naval Base, can fit into the overall efforts that are being made by the UN.

6 Regional Coordination Centre. As the UN's relief and reconstruction efforts get underway, the UN would also need administrative and secretariat support for its relief operations. Singapore is well-placed to provide such support, given our logistical hub status, good infrastructure and world-class sea and air connections. We would therefore like to offer a package to help the UN set up a regional coordination centre in Singapore to provide administrative and secretariat support for the UN's relief operations in this region.

7 Elements of the package would include :

(a) office space that is near to airports and Changi Naval Base. Singapore will absorb the rental for the office space. (b) facilities will include sufficient telephone lines and electrical points, and office equipment like photocopiers, paper shredders, fax machines etc. (c) accommodation Jan-02 05 ll:34a SPR MISSIOM 212 8263332 p.4

(d) transport (e) administrative support staff (f) facilities for a media centre

8 A venue that is tentatively being considered is the Singapore Expo, an exhibition and conference centre which, by car, is about 15 minutes from Changi Naval Base, 20 minutes from Paya Lebar Air Base, and 15 minutes from .

9 We will be pleased to work out the details with the UN should the UN accept this offer.

10 In conclusion, may we reiterate our threefold offer to support the UN's relief and reconstruction efforts in Sumatra, Indonesia :

(a) use of air and naval bases; (b) use of our RSAF helicopters and C130s; and (c) support for the UN to set up a regional coordination centre for its relief and reconstruction efforts in Indonesia UNITED NATIONS Wm NATIONS UNIES

POSTAL ADDRESS - ADRESSE POSTALE : UNITED NATIONS. NY 10017 CABLE ADDRESS — ADRESSE TELEGRAPHQUE : UNATIONS NEWYORK

EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL CABINET DU SECRETAIRE GENERAL

REFERENCE/REFERENCE : 17 February 2005

Excellency,

The Secretary-General would be grateful if you could kindly forward the enclosed letter to His Excellency Mr. Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore.

A copy of the letter is attached for your information.

Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Mark Malloch Brown Chef de Cabinet

His Excellency Mr. Vanu Gopala Menon Permanent Representative of the Republic of Singapore to the United Nations New York THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

17 February 2005

Excellency,

I write on my return to New York to express my deepest gratitude for the generosity shown by your Government in providing an aircraft and crew in support of my visit to the tsunami affected areas of Indonesia, Sri Lanka and the Maldives, and then for my onward journey to Mauritius to attend the International Meeting to Review the Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States.

I believe these visits were critical in reinforcing United Nations support and coordination for the response to the disaster, and vital to the successful launch of the Flash Appeal for Tsunami Victims on behalf of United Nations agencies and humanitarian partners.

We are also extremely grateful for the offer by the Singapore Government, as expressed in a letter from the Permanent Mission of Singapore to the United Nations dated 2 January, of Singaporean assets and facilities in support of the tsunami relief operation. Upon receipt of the letter, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Geneva, and its emergency coordinators deployed to the region, liaised with your Government directly, and wrote to Ambassador Gafoor detailing the support required by the United Nations operation.

His Excellency Mr. Lee Hsien Loong Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore Singapore Your Government responded to this request magnificently, and provided the critical support required to sustain the United Nations effort on the ground, particularly in terms of logistics, civil-military liaison and coordination. The three nationals deployed by Singapore within the framework of the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination teams made excellent contributions both in Aceh and in Thailand.

I am also pleased to learn that your Government is now considering providing two senior military officers to support the civil-military effort in Aceh.

I greatly appreciate your Government's continued commitment to helping those affected by this crisis, as well as your unwavering support for my work and that of the Organization.

Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.