US President George W Bush on Thursday said he was seeking to raise to $950 million the US aid to cover the cost of relief efforts in countries recovering from the disaster caused by the December 26 tsunami.
"The amount includes an additional $600 million above my initial commitment of $350 million. We will use these resources to provide assistance to affected nations in rebuilding vital infrastructure that re-energises economies and strengthens societies," Bush said in a statement in Washington.
"I will seek 950 million (dollars) as part of the supplemental appropriations request to (the Congress to) support the areas recovering from the tsunami and to cover the costs of relief efforts to date," he said.
Briefing reporters at the White House, US Agency for International Development Administrator Andrew S Natsios said, "This appears to be the largest appropriations for a single relief project in aid history."
He said Washington was in talks with countries such as Indonesia and Sri Lanka to determine the reconstruction projects in which US resources could be used.
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