JAKARTA, Jan 6: UN Secretary General Kofi Annan made an impassioned appeal on Thursday for nearly a billion dollars of immediate aid for countries stricken by the Asian tsunami disaster as the embattled head of the world body took charge of co-ordinating the world's response to the tragedy.

Addressing a one-day summit of world leaders called to organise what will ultimately amount to several billion dollars in relief and long-term reconstruction aid for the Indian Ocean region, Mr Annan said 977 million dollars were needed immediately for specific projects to help five million people.

Mr Annan warned that without rapid action, disease in devastated areas could send the death toll soaring above the 146,000 fatalities already confirmed in 11 nations hit by the December 26 tsunamis.

"For the United Nations, it is the largest natural disaster the organisation has had to respond to on behalf of the world community, in the 60 years of our existence," Mr Annan said.

While individual governments have already made up to four billion dollars in general, longer-term aid pledges to stricken nations, Mr Annan said it was essential they come up with hard cash for the immediate relief effort over the next six months.

"Many of the pledges have come to us in cash and in kind. We need the rest of the pledges to be converted into cash quickly," he said. Mr Annan, under the shadow of a string of scandals at the UN and still smarting from the way the US and its allies have sidelined his organization during the Iraq crisis, succeeded in putting the world body at centre stage of the aid summit.

Leader after leader from the seven states worst hit by the earthquake and tsunamis came out strongly in favour of having the UN play the central role in coordinating the relief effort.

"We must ensure that we benefit from the experience of the United Nations in establishing and managing special emergency funds and relief efforts," said President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of Indonesia, the worst hit nation with more than 94,000 fatalities.

Referring to logistical and other problems which have hamstrung some aid operations, Thai Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai said it was crucial the global effort "adopt a more predictable and reliable approach with the UN at its core".

"The United Nations should take bold initiatives in disaster response, and utilize all resources at its disposal," he said. Japanese Prime Minister Junichoro Koizumi, whose government is one of the most generous aid donors so far, announced that 250 million dollars of the 500 million dollars in aid Tokyo has already pledged to the region would be funnelled to the UN in response to Mr Annan's appeal.

"I call on countries of the world to show solidarity in responding to the UN appeal to the maximum extent possible ... and to swiftly put their respective pledges into practice," Mr Koizumi said.

The United States, which had been criticised for appearing again to sideline the United Nations as it ramped up its tsunami assistance, also uncharacteristically lined up behind Mr Annan.

Secretary of State Colin Powell told the summit that Washington was dissolving a "core group" of nations it had formed to expedite aid for tsunami victims outside the UN umbrella. Mr Powell said the group, initially formed with India, Japan and Australia and later enlarged to include Canada and the Netherlands, had "served its purpose".

Thursday's meeting brought together leaders from 26 nations and international organisations, including the prime ministers of Australia, China and Japan, Southeast Asian chiefs and representatives of the European Union, World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF). -AFP