The Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN) Kofi Annan expressed his deep condolence to Indonesia over the Sunday tragedy in the provinces of Aceh and North Sumatra, which killed tens of thousands of people, the state spokesman said in Medan , Indonesia on Wednesday.
Annan made the statement during a telephone conversation with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono this morning, when the President was on an inspection visit in Medan, the capital city of North Sumatra, the state spokesman Dino Pati Djalal said.
''President gratituded and reaffirmed that Indonesia will cooperate and accept aids from international community for tragedy in Aceh province and some other countries,'' he said.
The spokesman asserted that the Indonesian government welcomes domestic and foreign assistance.
Another presidential spokesman Andi Mallarangeng revealed that President Susilo had held a cabinet meeting in Medan, preparing a number of policies to settle the tragedy.
Meanwhile, Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla who has been inspecting the region since Tuesday predicted that the casualty was some 50,000, but the Ministry of Health announced that death toll reached 30,000.