Monday, January 3 2005 10:00 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Washington: US Secretary of State Colin Powell said that he expects the "core group", comprising the US, India, Japan and Australia, set up to handle aid to Tsunami victims to be wound up in a week.

In setting up the group, the US wanted to make sure that aid efforts are coordinated and it expected the group would grow and then it would go out of business as the UN gears up, Powell told CNN before leaving with a US team including Jeb Bush, Florida Governor and brother of President George W Bush, to Tsunami-hit countries and for the donors' conference.

"I would expect over the next week or so the core group will have done its work," he said.

The core group was established with initiative of US President George W Bush to coordinate immediate assistance but it was not intended as an attempt to undermine the UN and other international community efforts, he added.

In the same programme, Indian Ambassador Ronen Sen said New Delhi has not asked for any assistance from the international community. Sri Lankan Ambassador Devinda Subasinghe pointed out that India responded (immediately) "supplementing our own modest resources." Colombo is also getting aid from the US.

The group had come under criticism from Britain, among others.