Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said Monday that he welcomed international assistance in rebuilding Aceh Province from the damage of Dec. 26 tsunami disaster.

The president cited that the assistance should be in line with the Indonesian government's plan.

A number of foreign countries and international organizations have promised to assist the Indonesian government to recover the province in the northern tip of Indonesia's Sumatra island.

"We welcome the international cooperation or assistance which is inline with the government main plan to rebuild the province," Susilo was quoted by the Kompas Cyber Media as saying at the State Palace.

President Susilo said that currently the Indonesian government was finalizing a master plan, which has nuances of Islam and local culture, to rebuild the oil-and-gas-rich province of Aceh.

The United Nation High Commissioner for Refugee (UNHCR) and International organization of Migrant (IOM) have said they would build over 12,000 houses for internally displaced persons in the province, while the government of Japan and Malaysia promised to help to rebuild infrastructures in affected areas. Malaysia plans to reconstruct the areas in Islamic and Malay style.

More than 200,000 people were killed in the catastrophe and many parts of the province were leveled by the giant waves.
 
(Xinhua News Agency February 8, 2005)