_http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060207/ts_nm/hurricanes_aid_dc;_ylt=Ag2Z6yyxjX55 z_qLc_BMdOYDW7oF;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl_ (http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060207/ts_nm/hurricanes_aid_dc;_ylt=Ag2Z6yyxjX55z_qLc_BMdOYDW7oF;_ylu= X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl) Mayor: New Orleans will seek aid from other nations By Michael DeppMon Feb 6, 7:24 PM ET Shortcomings in aid from the U.S. government are making New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin look to other nations for help in rebuilding his hurricane-damaged city. Nagin, who has hosted a steady stream of foreign dignitaries since Hurricane Katrina hit in late August, says he may seek international assistance because U.S. aid has not been sufficient to get the city back on its feet. "I know we had a little disappointment earlier with some signals we're getting from Washington but the international community may be able to fill the gap," Nagin said when a delegation of French government and business officials passed through on Friday to explore potential business partnerships. Jordan's King Abdullah also visited New Orleans on Friday and Nagin said he would encourage foreign interests to help redevelop some of the areas hardest hit by the storm. "France can take Treme. The king of Jordan can take the Lower Ninth Ward," he said, referring to two of the city's neighborhoods. Katrina flooded 80 percent of the city and killed more than 1,300 people in Louisiana and Mississippi. The Bush administration has pledged billions of dollars to Katrina victims but five months after the storm, New Orleans remains largely in ruins. Nagin said his message to President George W. Bush would be that the federal government needs to refocus on the devastated area. "We need your undivided attention over the next six months," he said. "We need backup. We need for you to make the words that you spoke in Jackson Square a reality." Nagin was referring to the president's September 15 address to the nation from New Orleans, in which he pledged "we will do what it takes, we will stay as long as it takes" to rebuild. French Transport Minister Dominique Perben, leading the French delegation to a city that was founded by France in 1718, said, "This catastrophe has deeply upset the French people and the French government." France, Perben said through a translator, "wants to be a long-term partner for Louisiana and New Orleans." Copyright © 2006 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Copyright © 2006 Yahoo! Inc. All rights reserved. _Questions or Comments_ (http://us.ard.yahoo.com/SIG=12emdus9n/M=224039.1983420.3465435.1919853/D=news/S=7666528:FOOT/_ylt=AgYmPrgKtXJpov_qPvAeTupg.3QA/Y=YA HOO/EXP=1139298124/A=1030392/R=1/SIG=1124ddvo1/*http://help.yahoo.com/help/new s/) _Privacy Policy_ (http://us.ard.yahoo.com/SIG=12emdus9n/M=224039.1983420.3465435.1919853/D=news/S=7666528:FOOT/_ylt=AgYmPrgKtXJpov_qPvAeTupg.3QA/Y=YAHOO/EXP =1139298124/A=1030392/R=2/SIG=11a1ak88p/*http://privacy.yahoo.com/privacy/us/n ews) -_Terms of Service_ (http://us.ard.yahoo.com/SIG=12emdus9n/M=224039.1983420.3465435.1919853/D=news/S=7666528:FOOT/_ylt=AgYmPrgKtXJpov_qPvAeTupg.3QA/Y= YAHOO/EXP=1139298124/A=1030392/R=3/SIG=1136qnvkg/*http://docs.yahoo.com/info/t erms/) - _Copyright/IP Policy_ (http://us.ard.yahoo.com/SIG=12emdus9n/M=224039.1983420.3465435.1919853/D=news/S=7666528:FOOT/_ylt=AgYmPrgKtXJpov_qPvAeTupg. 3QA/Y=YAHOO/EXP=1139298124/A=1030392/R=4/SIG=11lp7krrc/*http://docs.yahoo.com/ info/copyright/copyright.html) - _Ad Feedback_ (javascript:ADFlaunch())