U.N. official backtracks after calling U.S. 'stingy'

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A United Nations official yesterday backpedaled from his claim that the United States is being "stingy" in its response to the Asian earthquake disaster after Secretary of State Colin L. Powell disputed the remark.

"The United States is not stingy," Mr. Powell said as the United States increased its initial package of disaster relief from $15 million to $35 million.

"We will do more," he added during a round of morning TV interviews. "I wish that comment hadn't been made."

Later in the day, Jan Egeland, United Nations undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs, called the assistance pledged by the United States and Europe "very generous."

"I have been misinterpreted when I yesterday said that my belief that rich countries in general can be more generous," he added. "This has nothing to do with any particular country or the response to this emergency in the early days. The response so far has been overwhelmingly positive."

The exchange came as aid agencies struggled to cope with the vast humanitarian catastrophe. The United Nations said it was preparing to issue what could be its largest appeal for donations in its history to cope with its biggest and costliest relief effort.

As of yesterday, dozens of countries and relief groups had pledged more than $100 million in help for South and East Asia, said the Geneva-based U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

"With so many international donors, the key is coordinating it so we get the right things in the right places at the right time," said Jules Frost, director of Emergency Response and Disaster Mitigation for WorldVision, the Christian children's charity based in Washington state.

Early today, Australia said it would more than triple its emergency aid to nations stricken by the tsunami and announced a joint initiative with the United States, Japan and India to coordinate efforts to cope with the disaster.

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said the government was adding $25 million Australian (about $19.5 million in U.S. currency) to an earlier pledge of $10 million Australian, with most destined for Indonesia and much of the rest to Sri Lanka.