LONDON - European leaders on Saturday offered their condolences as well as financial help to the government and people of Indonesia, reeling from a powerful earthquake that killed some 3,000 people.
Expressions of sympathy and solidarity came from capitals across Europe, from London and Madrid to Prague and Athens, as non-governmental organisations geared up to help in the relief effort after the 6.2-magnitude quake.
EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said: "I want to underline the willingness of the European Union to provide all the necessary assistance to the population affected by the disaster."
At the same time, the 25-member bloc's executive arm, the European Commission, said it would release up to three million euros (3.8 million dollars) in emergency aid.
It had also mobilised staff in Southeast Asia and in Brussels in response.
"We are ready to help the victims of this tragedy and recognise how important it is to do it as speedily as possible," said EU Humanitarian Aid Commissioner Louis Michel.
"That is why the commission is already preparing a fast-track, primary emergency decision. Within a few hours, we expect the (Red Cross and Red Crescent) to issue a preliminary appeal and we aim to have immediate funding available for essential relief activities," he said.
Austria, current EU president, expressed support for the people and government of Indonesia on behalf of the union and said the EU was ready to help those hit by "this horrible catastrophe".
Leaders including prime minister Tony Blair of Britain, President Jacques Chirac of France and Italy's new head of state Giorgio Napolitano all sent personal messages of support to Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with those affected by this tragedy and all the people of Indonesia," said Blair, who visited Jakarta and held talks with Yudhoyono in March.
Queen Elizabeth II said she was "deeply saddened by the loss of life and devastation" and expressed her deepest sympathy to the friends and families of those who have been killed or injured.
A message of prayer for the Indonesian people went out in The Vatican "for the victims and their grieving families, invoking eternal peace upon the deceased and divine comfort and consolation on all who are suffering"
The message from Pope Benedict XVI, who is currently on a visit to Poland, also remembered those dealing with the quake aftermath, urging the rescue and aid workers "to persevere in their efforts to bring relief and support".
For the relief effort, London has pledged three million pounds, Ireland 500,000 euros and Greece 200,000 euros.
Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero's government said it was ready to respond to any requests for help from the Indonesian authorities. France's foreign ministry and Russian president Vladimir Putin said the same.
In Rome, the Italian government decided to send a planeload of emergency humanitarian aid to the Indonesian island of Java, while Norway announced an emergency medical team would leave for the region on Sunday.
Individual offers of aid also came from the Czech Republic and Switzerland.
Turkey's emergency response team is already close at hand, having been stationed in Indonesia since the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami disaster.
The Turkish Red Crescent said a team, based in Aceh province, has left for the central Java island to help with the country's latest tragedy by conducting a post-quake needs assessment and assist the local crisis center.
British-based aid agencies Save the Children and Oxfam have already mobilised while rescue charity Rapid UK, whose specialist teams were used after earthquakes in Pakistan and Turkey, told AFP it was on stand-by.

05/27/2006 17:24 GMT