EBRD President Thomas Mirow has expressed his sadness at the disaster in Japan which has claimed thousands of lives.
In a letter to Mr Yoshihiko Noda, Minster of Finance and EBRD Governor for Japan, President Mirow acknowledged that the destruction was "a tragedy not only for those directly affected but for your country as a whole".
He added that, despite the devastation, he felt certain that "the energy, courage and resilience of the people of Japan will enable them to overcome the cruel consequences of the disaster."