The Danish Red Cross said it hoped "these funds would help ensure that the Iraqi people's basic and most immediate needs are met as soon as possible, such as water, medicines, surgical instruments and electricity in hospitals which are lacking everything," the organisation's spokeswoman Helge Kvam said.

Organisers of the gala, broadcast on the two national television stations Danmarks Radio and TV2, said they expected Danish donations to near the 50 million kroner mark once all the donations were collected by the end of the month.

Denmark is one of only a number of countries that has made military contributions to the US-led war on Iraq, sending a submarine, corvette and 160 crew to the Gulf.

SPACE.WIRE